Kingdom Hearts: The Story Before the Story
by Aly-Cooper
Summary: The story before the Kingdom Hearts stories even began! Sora,Roxas,Riku,Axel,Kairi and more in their past lives and how the Heartless and Nobodies were first created! Parings: AkuRoku, SoraKairiRiku, one-sided Namixas, and some DemNami :Discontinued:
1. Prolouge

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Kingdom Hearts. But if I did...well, things wouldn't be the way you see them. -evil snicker-

Pairings: AkuRoku, SoraRikuKairi (love this love triangle) (If you want a pairing to show up later in the story leave me a comment. I adore love triangles too. )

Rating: T For cursing, Shouen-ai, and other random things

Side note: This first part is the Prolouge and/or Backstory. Its told in First Person, but when the story begins it will change to Third Person. I'll switch off from characters often, but you'll know when I do it. Just a little warning. 'kay? Now on with the rest of this!

Kingdom Hearts: The story before the story

-Prolouge-

Long, long before the Keyblade master Sora's story and even Terra, Ven and Aqua's stories the Keyblades still existed. This story is one that was written in an old book by an anonymous person ( Will be revealed in the story later on. ), but the book was destroyed so only one knew of the real story and it was passed on verbally to me. Now it is time for me to tell you the story. The story of how Sora, Roxas, Kairi, Riku and the rest of the ones you know from Sora's story in their past lives sealed the Keyblades away to protect us. As you can see from Terra's story that did not last that long and the worst scenario happened anyway. I'm getting ahead of myself I'd better give you some background before I begin.

In the past there were two Kingdoms and it would seem that they were polar opposites. They fought very frequently, never letting up from their war on each other, for their hatred was very deep. One wanted the people to be free, this is good right? But they also wanted all of the other Kingdom to not exist for in truth almost all of them did not exist at all due to their tampering in the darkness as the Kingdom put it. This Kingdom was called Destiny Kingdom. Those who opposed the Destiny Kingdom belonged to the other Kingdom, Oblivion Kingdom.

Those of Oblivion Kingdom only wanted one thing, Kingdom Hearts, the one thing that could achive their goals. What are their goals you ask? Its hard to put that into words as I can only tell the story and show you that way. This story is one of pure truth and there are many things that happen between the people you know now's past lives. Please judge them on how they act now and not then in this story. Even now I doubt they even know the existence of this story and their actions, but then again the past always repeats itself in miraculous and strange ways. I've said enough on the matter, now if you choose to listen to my story, you can interpret the rest yourself in the matter in which you choose to.

Now begins the story, there's no me stopping once I start.

-x-X-x-

Author's Note

Kiesha: Hello. I'm Kiesha and this is my first fan-fiction. ...Man that sounded awful. Anyways, the fun starts after this! I have gotten a bunch of time on my hands and decided to put one of my millions of Kingdom Hearts ideas into words finally. Yes I know this is very short. The other chapters will be quite longer. I promise! Anyways, I hope you enjoy this!


	2. Just Another Day

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. But if I did, then AkuRoku would become reality! -only in my dreams though as this will never come true-

Side note: For all of the AkuRoku fans out there the AkuRoku stuff WILL come! It will take me a chapter or two to set up their fated meeting though. So please be patient! Thanks! Same with the SoraKairiRiku pairing!

Chapter 1

Just another day

"ROXAS! GET UP!"

Eyes fluttered open to reveal their icy blue color which was a rich shade of cobalt. Squeezing his eyes shut against the harsh sunlight that came into his room Roxas pulled the blanket over his head before muttering," Shut up and leave me alone."

"Come on Rox! We can't be late you know!" came the same voice who had screamed Roxas awake, it was his brother Sora.

"I know so shut your fucking mouth Sora and get out of my room." Roxas snarled in his brother's direction from under the blanket.

Sora, unnerved by his brother's hostility, smiled and walked over to Roxas's bed before shoving him out onto the floor in a mess of Roxas, blanket, and pillows. "Not till you're up and out of bed!" he said smile still broadly on his face.

Roxas, not in the best mood after being shoved out of the bed, growled as he removed the pillows and blankets from his head so that it could be seen growled," Fine I'm up. I hope you're happy, 'cause you just made my Number 1 on my most annoying people list today." after he finished his sentence he threw a pillow at Sora who dodged it, with it nearly hitting Sora's head.

"Much. Now hurry up! I'll wait for you outside your door, okay?" Sora said with a grin before retreating out of the room dodging another pillow as it was thrown at him and shutting the door behind him with a quiet slam. Roxas, knowing that if he didn't get ready soon Sora would do something even more annoying just to get him out of the room, changed his clothing quickly and took a quick shower. After he was sure he was ready he opened his door to see Sora a bit nervous. "Come on! We're gonna be late if we don't hurry."

-x-X-x-

The Battlemaster of Destiny Kingdom looked around all of the recruits making the final preparations for another battle with the Oblivion Kingdom. It was Leon's job to oversee things and as he looked through the recruits he spotted two missing. "Where are Sora and Roxas?" he said directing his stern gaze to a red haired teen that was a good friend to Sora and his brother.

"I don't know sir. Sora said he was on his way though. They'll be here." the girl who was named Kairi replied casting her gaze from Leon to the door. It was then that Sora nd Roxas appeared dashing form the door, Sora apparently had a tight grip on Roxas's wrist and had been pulling him along the whole time.

Leon sighed as Roxas and Sora stopped in front of him giving a quick salute as Sora spoke," I went to get Roxas sir and he was being lazy again." he said with a smile while Roxas scowled at his brother. Turning to Kairi Sora said cheerfully," Hey Kairi!"

"Hey Sora." Kairi replied with a bright smile.

"Ahem." Leon coughed catching all three teen's attention immediately, "You two were close to being late. Don't let it happen again. Dismissed." Leon then walked away a tight grimace on his face. _Its amazing how they've grown. Being so calm and all before a battle in which they know that any of them could die in._ Leon thought to himself with a mental sigh. _Sometimes I wish things were different. _

-x-X-x-

The Destiny Kingdom had been attacked on their own border that seperated them from the dark lands of the Oblivion Kingdom where the heart-stealing and un-feeling monsters lived. The Destiny Kingdom had no care to give them proper names as they were sure the monsters that lived in Oblivion Kingdom were all the same. Apparently Oblivion Kingdom felt the need to send their monsters to attack Destiny Kingdom now when according to scout reports from the border had shown they were preparing for something. Most of the Destiny Kingdom's people just brushed it off saying it was nothing and that they were surprised those monsters could do anything at all but fight.

The ruler of Destiny Kingdom, King Mickey, seemed to think a little of the opposite and wondered what the rival Kingdom was up to quite a bit of the time. It was during one of these times he decided he needed help from the inside. Mickey looked up and sighed as he caught a picture of the King before him with a keyblade in hand. "The keyblade, chooses only a few to be its master and have turned out to be the bravest soldiers we could ever ask for." he said to no one in particular. " I think its time they showed the Kingdom what their true strength is." hoping to ponder this matter some more Mickey then walked into the garden and from the shouting he heard near the gate of the castle which was near the garden, he knew that another battle would soon begin.

-x-X-x-

Author's Note

Kiesha: Its Kiesha again. I hope you're enjoying my story. If you are then please review! Right Roxas?

Roxas: -glares-

Kiesha: Are you still mad at me for making Sora wake you up?

Roxas: What do you think? -glare-

Kiesha: -nervous laugh- Well, uh, I think I'd better go before Roxas kills me.


	3. The man in the black coat

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts doesn't belong to me. But if it did? The nobodies would rule the world! Just not under Pretty Princess Mansex. (or Xemnas)

Side note: Yay! A long one! As you can see I'm trying to fit in Leon and Cloud into this a bit for all you Cloud and Leon fans. Please Review!

Chapter 2

The man in the black coat

"That was a close one Sora!" Kairi said sternly to Sora although her eyes gave a sterness to Roxas too.

"Yeah I know Kairi. I guess that means I have to help Roxas get his lazy ass out of bed earlier than usual!" Sora said with a laugh as Kairi joined him.

Roxas just rolled his eyes and ignored them grumbling angrily to himself about hating mornings and Sora waking him up earlier that day. As they neared the border garrison Roxas let his mind stray. Sure he was worried about the battle a bit, but then again weren't they all? His and Sora's father had always given them the best advice, before he passed on. One of these sniplets of advice was that he should never worry himself about a battle until you were actually fighting. If you panic then you'll mess yourself up and probably die or do something stupid. Man Roxas missed him, but he also knew that death was a fact of life in war but it still killed. His mind then snapped back to attention as he heard Sora asking Kairi about Namine.

"So Kairi. Have you seen Namine around lately? I haven't seen her in awhile." Sora said to Kairi his hands behind his head lazily with a smile.

"The last I saw her she was with Queen Minnie and the Magic's teacher Donald. I don't think she was coming with us today." Kairi explained pointing back in the direction of the castle.

"That's good." Roxas said joining in on the conversation which surprised Sora a bit since he thought that Roxas'd just stay quiet till they got there because of his teasing. "I never thought that fighting was her thing." he continued with a sigh of relief.

"Yeah." Sora said agreeing with Roxas. "So Kairi, how're things going with you?"

Kairi blushed for a split second then quickly diminished when Sora was finished speaking and replied," Oh you know, the usual."

Roxas smiled. He'd caught that blush from Kairi a thousand times it seemed. He wanted to burst out laughing at how obvious she was being, but held himself. He didn't want to walk around with a huge hand-shaped red mark on his cheek the whole rest of the day and possibly tomorrow if it was bad enough. Sora on the other hand hadn't seen it and replied with a nod accompained by a smile.

-x-X-x-

Namine looked out one of the huge windows that was in the great Library of the Destiny Kingdom Castle with a sad sigh. They were leaving again she could see it as Leon lead the troops out of the castle gates accompained by Cloud from behind. "Please, please, please come home safe." she said softly to herself touching a hand to the crystal clear glass. It was then she heard the door open and she turned up the corners of her mouth in a smile as she saw it was the Queen.

Queen Minnie walked over to Namine and with a smile asked," How are you doing dear?"

"Just fine." Namine replied taking a seat in one of the chairs near a study table in the room. Her sketchbook was open to a blank page and various pencils and coloring materials were scattered across the table messily.

"You're worried for them aren't you." It was a statement. Namine looked up from where she'd been staring at the floor and thought to herself, _Its like she can read my mind._ Namine nodded and Queen Minnie continued," I'm sure they will be just fine. They _are_ keyblade masters after all right? They also have strong hearts, they will come home Namine." she seemed so sure of herself.

"You're right." Namine said half-heartedly. Still there was that one other thing troubling her.

"You sound unsure Namine. Don't you believe in them?" Minnie asked.

"Yes of course I do!" the girl exclaimed," Its just..." she broke off.

"You can tell me dear." Minnie said addressing the blonde with a comforting tone. "I won't tell anyone. I swear it. Unless you wish it or I have found the drastic need to do so."

Namine sighed. She could trust the Queen with this. Her secret. _She'll keep my secret. She won't tell anyone unless its necessary...right?_

-x-X-x-

Leon had told his troops to stay put while he went on to talk with Cloud and the Guard Generald at the garrason. Weaving through the crowd of Destiny Kingdom troops he found his way to a small isolated part of the encampment. "Guard General Vincent. General Cloud." Leon addressed them formally as he walked up to the two men. When they nodded their heads in Leon's direction he continued by speaking to Vincent as their eyes locked. "How many casualties have you taken?"

"Quite a few actually." Vincent replied his sharp, seemingly cold gaze boring into Leon. "And there's this too." he held out a letter with King Mickey's seal on it. "A messenger just brought it. We had better read it now. The enemy is going to come soon. In about ten to fifteen minutes if you need a time vary." Leon nodded. Not only was Vincent a Guard General, but a damn good spy for the Destiny Kingdom, the very best. "I've already read the letter so I'll be departing now. My troops need me at the moment." Cloud and Leon nodded as Vincent left them to read the letter sent by the King.

Cloud took the letter and read it over until a hint of shock came across his face. "Leon, I think you'd better read this." he said seriously as he handed over the letter to Leon. He took the letter and read over it once, twice, then a third time. After the fifth time of reading it he sighed and scratched the back of his head. " Now? You think the King is sure about this? I mean-" Leon was cut off.

"If the King thinks its for the best, its for the best. Are you doubting his judgement?" Cloud asked Leon who shook his head.

"No, its just that I never thought he'd need this sort of thing!" Leon shook his head," The explaining will be done if they survive the battle. If I'm to fall Cloud, you or Vincent will have to do the duty, alright?" Cloud nodded and then responded with a smirk as Leon started to walk to the front of his line.

"Hey Leon! Lets go kick some Oblivion ass!" Cloud shouted after him causing some of Cloud's troops to roar alongside him.

Leon nodded and with a smile called back," We won't have any ass to kick on their side once we're through with them!" he then got a roar from the front line of his troops.

It was then that Leon spotted something odd happening on the ghostly plain that was the beginning of the Oblivion realm. Strange white and black creatures that Leon knew well as the Oblivion Kingdom's soldiers came slithering down the hill and it was then that Leon spotted the commanders of the army. Two black clad figures stood at the middle of their army as the white and black creatures moved around them. The hoods were up so no one could see their faces, but Leon could care less what they looked like, as long as they were out of the picture. For good. "They're here!" Leon shouted to his troops," Ready your weapons and follow me!" Then Leon charged out his own weapon out, a gunblade, and ready to fight the opposing Kingdom as the rest of his troops followed suit.

-x-X-x-

Sora knew that feeling, the feeling of when you're charging to meet the other in battle, of the calmness just before the two sides clash. That feeling used to scare the shit out of him and to tell you the truth, it still did. Once the fighting got started though Sora could seem like a different person. Keyblade in hand Sora gripped it tight as he looked to his left to see Kairi with her own keyblade in hand and nodded to her in which he recieved a smile. Looking to his right he saw Roxas with his keyblades in which he'd named Oblivion and Oathkeeper. He remembered when he'd asked him why he'd chosen the name Oblivion for the black keyblade when it was one of the most hated names spoken around Destiny Kingdom. "_'It just seemed to fit it.'_" was the response Sora got back, but never questioned it again.

"Hey Sora." Sora heard Roxas say and turned to him. His brother had a grin on his face as he pulled a joke on him by saying," Don't go dying on me." Sora would have laughed if it were in a better situation, but just smiled and flashed him a thumbs-up.

The silence was soon broken as both sides clashed. A furious range of battle cries and hisses and the screams of slain troops on either side rang in Sora's ears. He hated that noise, but quickly shook it off as he sliced through the Oblivion Kingdom's soldiers making them fade. Sora kept this up for awhile until he looked around. Usually Roxas, him and Kairi fought together like a unit making any enemy in their way disappear, but Roxas was gone. He and Kairi had gotten seperated from him. _He can take care of himself. Worry more about yourself and Kairi for right now!_ Sora thought sharply at himself and then slashed through the monsters.

Soon Sora found himself fighting back-to-back with Kairi and was amazed at how fast she was. They kept up this tag team for awhile until the seemingly endless maurading enemies decreased slightly. "Lets meet up with Roxas!" Sora shouted over to Kairi before slashing through a black monster. "We'll take 'em all out with us three together!"

After a minute he heard a reply from Kairi. "Then lets go!" Kairi then slashed her way through enemies to Sora and nodded as they headed in the right direction hoping Roxas was that way cutting through any Oblivion soldier that was in their way.

-x-X-x-

Roxas indeed had gotten separated from Sora and Kairi. Using his keyblades he sliced through all of the enemies that came near him. Jumping up into the air he sliced them in half as they came at him from above twisting and turning in the air doing a flip before landing. Panting he gripped the keyblades as he waited for another attack, but none came. "What?" Roxas asked no one in particular as he watched the white and black monsters move around him and towards the others a few feet away from him creating a circle like ring of empty grass and blood that had been spilled onto it.

All of a sudden Roxas felt a stinging coming from his right shoulder and when he looked at it the sleeve had been burned away. On top of that his skin revealed a slash and there were singe marks around the cut as it bled. Roxas winced as he moved his shoulder as he saw something fly past him again out of the the corner of his eye and he brought up Oathkeepther and Oblivion to block it, but it just flew past him and into the hand of a black cloaked stranger that Roxas could only identify as one of the Oblivion Kingdom's Commanders from behind his keyblades. It was then Roxas heard the hooded figure speak.

"So you're one of those Keyblade weilders huh? Promise me a good time okay!"

-x-X-x-

Author's note

Kiesha: Yay! I got two chapters up including the Prolouge! I'll be starting on Chapter 3 now. I'm sure we all know who our mysterious hooded figure is.

Roxas: Why do you sound so happy? The dude almost took my head off!

Figure: But I didn't, now did I?


	4. Accidents and Awkward Moments

Disclaimer: I own Kingdom Hearts! Just kidding... but oh how I wish it sometimes!

Side Note: Yay! The AkuRoku starts here! The beginning of the love triangle too! -sigh- Many good things will happen in this chapter. Oh and poor Roxy. ; Sorry.

Chapter 3

Accidents and Awkward Moments

_"So you're one of the Keyblade weilders huh? Promise me a good time okay!"_

The words went through Roxas for a moment then he shifted his keyblades from their block position to an attack position and fixed the hooded Oblivion commander in his icy cobalt eyes which held a glare. "What do you want?" Roxas growled at him.

"Ooh, a fiesty kitty." the hooded man said with a little chuckle seeing Roxas flare with more anger at the comment. " Don't worry, I don't bite...much. As for what I want? That'll have to be something that you can ponder over." he said twirling the red circular weapons that he held lightly on his fingers a few times before throwing one at Roxas who brought up his keyblade to block it sending it back at the hooded figure who caught it. "Not bad."

Roxas glared at the Oblivion Commander dashing at him while lashing out with his keyblades so that the hooded commander had to block them with his weapons until he jumped back. Twirling the red weapons fire then tinged the edges of them causing the whole thing to set aflame. Roxas looked at the flames in surprise, _where did they come from? Is it some sort of magic?_ His thoughts were interrupted as the flaming circles came at him in which he tried his best to dodge.

-x-X-x-

Sora and Kairi had fought their way through numerous monsters of the Oblivion Kingdom making their way near the Oblivion Kingdom end of the battlefield. "Did you see Roxas yet Sora?" Kairi asked while killing yet another of the soldiers, they seemed to only get more numerous as they killed them.

"No, not yet Kairi! Keep a good look out!" Sora called out to Kairi and wincing as one of the white things cut into his side with one of its claws. He quickly ended its existence with a downward slash of his keyblade and gave a glance to his side to see the damage. _Its not too deep, good. Now to find Roxas._ Sora thought as he kept up his attacks with Kairi.

After awhile the numbers seemed to die down. Darting over to Kairi he accidentally tripped a bit causing him to stumble into Kairi's shoulder making both of them break out into a blush. Dismissing her blush quickly Kairi then suggested hastily," Um, lets go look for Roxas now that the enemies are starting to retreat!" she then took off and Sora followed her a bit more slowly.

_Why is my heart racing like this?_ he wondered. Kairi was one of his best friends!

-x-X-x-

_I can trust the Queen, _thought Namine and then took a deep breath. "Minnie, I mean Qu-" she was cut off by Minnie.

"Its okay. Call me whatever you please, we're in private." Minnie said with a light smile.

Namine smiled and nodded. "You see, Quee- I mean Minnie, I've been having these weird dreams. I remember them so vividly and put them down in my sketchbook, but after I get done with the sketch I don't remember a thing at all. I would put it into words, but its like I'm in a trance or something and can only draw." she picked up her sketchbook and opening it to a page where there was a hooded figure with fire tinged around strange circular weapons with Roxas and his keyblades fighting him showing it to Minnie.

Minnie looked over the sketch with a hint of surprise. Then asked," These drawings...have they ever come true?"

Namine gave a weak nod then took back her sketch book. "Everytime they come back from something they tell me about what happened and...its the same as in my sketch book. Sometimes something that happened before. Its strange and I didn't want anyone to think of me differently." she sniffed looking at her hands as Minnie came over patting her on the shoulder.

"Its okay Namine. Your secret is safe with me." she said reassuring the blonde teen.

"Thank you." Namine replied with a smile," But I'm worried about Roxas. That picture...and from what I've heard of the Oblivion Kingdom... will he be alright Minnie? What if something happens to him and I didn't warn him or something! I'll feel terrible!" Namine said starting to panic.

"Now, now. Roxas is one of the best fighters in Destiny Kingdom! You should have a little more faith in him. He'll be fine." Minnie said. Her words seemed to soothe Namine a bit so that she nodded.

"I think I'm going to go read for a bit in my room now." Namine said getting up to leave. "Thank you Queen Minnie." she said before exiting the Library.

"Your welcome dear." Minnie said her face turning into a troubled look. _I hope I'm right about Roxas. Please come home for Namine's sake Roxas!_

-x-X-x-

"Burn Baby!" shouted the hooded man as an inferno of fire came shooting at Roxas. Roxas dodged some, but it singed him a bit and he muttered to himself," Shit!" For a scrawny looking dude he was pretty strong and quickly caught Roxas from behind sending him flying in a front flip in which Roxas corrected his footing landing on both feet and countering by slashing at the fire weilder. The ripping of fabric could be heard as the Oathkeeper Keyblade slashed through the sleeve of the coat that the Oblivion commander wore cutting the skin and leaving a short, but deep slash in his left lower arm.

The hooded man looked at the wound for a moment and then chuckled saying," This is getting interesting. Would you like to make a bet?"

Roxas wasn't sure if he'd heard him correctly. "What?"

"You heard me. Want to make a bet? If you win you can kill me and I won't do a thing. But if I win...well the rest's a secret. You up to it?" Roxas was sure he saw a devilish grin behid that hood of his.

"Get real! There's no way in the world I'd ever do something stupid like that!" Roxas shot back furiously.

The hooded commander chuckled and then said," Are you scared of losing? Is that why you're acting like a coward Mr. Keyblade master?"

That was the last straw. Roxas snapped, he dashed at the fire weilder lashing out viciously which made him jump back in surprise and listen intently to Roxas's words. "Shut up! I am NOT AFRAID OF YOU!!! I'll beat you at your own game and shut you up for good!" Roxas panted and glared at the commander of Oblivion Kingdom until he realized what he'd said. _Dammit! Why does my fucking anger always get the best of me?!!!?!_ he screamed at himself in his mind.

"Really now? Good. Since we're about to challenge each other I thought it'd be best if we got on a first name basis eh?" he smirked before taking off his hood to reveal flame red spikes that shot out in all directions. "The name's Axel. A-X-E-L, Got it memorized?" he pointed to his head as he said the words.

"Yeah, whatever." Roxas spat bitterly at Axel who chuckled.

"Now I suppose I get a name out of you Mr. Keyblade master?" Axel said twirling his weapons.

"Roxas, now name your game. I'm wasting my precious time talking to you when I could be killing you about now." Roxas said icily his eyes like daggers as he glared at Axel.

"So hasty. Calm down a bit Roxy. We'll have pleeeeeeenty of time for the challenge." Axel gave a smile and then continued," The first to disarm the other is the winner. If you win then you can kill me and I won't do anything to stop you. Now if I win...well that's my little secret as you already know." he winked at Roxas.

"My name is NOT ROXY!" Roxas roared lashing out at Axel as a signal that the challenge had started. The two went back and forth exchanging blows neither seeming to give in. It was then that Axel sent up a wall of flames and disappeared into them. Roxas was surprised when Axel suddenly appeared behind him soaring past him sending up flames tailing him singing him even more. Before he had time to react Roxas felt that Oathkeeper had beenknocked out of his hand and was plummeting to the ground. He felt enormous pressure then on the hand that still had Oblivion in it. Both of the circular weapons were pressing down on it and he could feel the heat radiating from them as his hand was growing weaker. It was at this precise moment that Axel took his opportunity to elbow Roxas in the ribs making the breath fly out of his lungs like a bird to the sky as he crashed to the ground.

In the air Axel had retrieved one of his weapons and landed feet first. Oblivion on the other hand lay a foot or two away from Roxas. "Looks like I won." Axel said with a smile as Roxas started to realize this.

"Damn it." Roxas cursed as he found himself in the predicament. Axel had won and the worst part of it that was coming to Roxas was, he didn't know what Axel wanted as a reward for winning the challenge! "Okay then. Get over with it." he said trying to be as calm and collected as possible.

Axel smirked. "Okay then. I will Roxy." he said a chuckle escaping him as he heard Roxas growl at the word Roxy. "First close your eyes." Axel said and Roxas snarled a curse at Axel, but did it anyway.

Roxas heard the sound of Axel retrieving his weapons and then thought, _maybe he's going to kill me after all. Well at least I died fighting._ Roxas sighed and then stood perfectly still waiting for the killing blow.

It never came.

Axel had leaned forwards and kissed Roxas on the lips instead making Roxas's eyes snap open in shock, eyes as round as the full moon as a blush escaped his face. It was a light kiss and was soon over as Axel pulled away, ruffling Roxas's hair as he was still stiff from shock and had the temporary red blush on his face. "Thanks for that." Axel said as he noticed that they had an audience. "See you around Roxy." With that Axel disappeared into one of the portals in which the members of the Oblivion Kingdom had come from. Although just before he stepped into the portal Roxas had snapped back to normal, grabbed Oathkeeper and lashed out at Axel.

_"I'll KILL you!" _Roxas shouted at him, but Axel was already gone. He turned his head to his left and then saw that both Kairi and Sora were there and staring at him.

_Oh shit. Don't tell me they saw that!_ Roxas's mind screamed as his heart dropped to his shoes.

-x-X-x-

Author's note

Kiesha: 'Tis me again. I hoped you luffed the AkuRoku. 'Cause I did.

Roxas: I sure didn't! Sora and Kairi saw me and eveything!

Axel: Cheer up Roxy! Weren't their faces priceless though?

Roxas: No! -tries to hurt Axel-

Kiesha: Um, I'd better leave before they turn their fight my way.


	5. Mysterious Visitor

Disclaimer: Tch, still do not own Kingdom Hearts. I must figure out a way to get it to be mine...

Side note: Time for the outcome of Axey's kiss! Omg, Sora and Kairi saw! But guess who else did? Read on and find out!

Chapter 4

Mysterious Visitor

Sora looked at Roxas who was looking at them with an embarrassed look on his face. "R-roxas?" Sora stammered then felt anger surge through him and ran to his brother. "Roxas! What happened?"

Kairi was also very surprised. It wasn't everyday that you found someone being kissed by the enemy. She was speechless and just stood there like a statue as Sora ran over to his brother shaking his shoulders.

"What the hell happened for the bazillionth time Roxas!!!" Sora said shaking Roxas until he placed a hand on Sora's shoulder in signal for him to stop.

"What happened?" Roxas repeated a little unsure of himself, but then suddenly grew angry as the realization came to him. "That bastard kissed me! The hell with his challenge I'll _kill_ him for that!" Now Roxas was the one infuriated. All of a sudden he felt a pressure on his shoulder and Roxas angrily turned around to see himself face to face with Vincent.

"What's this about a challenge?" Vincent asked coolly his eyes looking at Roxas which made the younger boy shiver inwardly a bit before starting to reply.

"I got angry and struck a deal with that bastard." Roxas admitted getting his shoulders free from Sora and Vincent. Crossing his arms he kept swearing over how much of a bastard Axel was and that it was atrocious of him to kiss him like that, I mean Roxas thought he was perfectly straight! Just thinking about it made Roxas want to storm into the the Oblivion Kingdom's castle and tear Axel to shreds.

Vincent nodded. "And you lost. So the Oblivion Kingdom Commander decided he'd kiss you for winning..." Vincent broke off a bit then coughed and said," You'd better keep this to yourself Roxas and you two too. I don't want rumors of this flying around my camp or yours for that matter. For all our sakes." That said Vincent left before saying," Get back to Leon, he needs to tell you something."

Sora nodded and dragged Roxas back by his wrist towards Kairi. "We don't speak of this again till later okay?" Sora said looking at Roxas then Kairi.

"Yeah." Kairi said with a nod.

"What the hell ever." Roxas said angrily.

"Glad we all agree." Sora said his cheerfulness coming back and brushing off Roxas's anger like snow off his jacket. "Lets get back to Leon and the others now." Taking off Kairi followed with a very much pissed off Roxas behind.

-x-X-x-

Leon tapped his foot impatiently. Surely all of them couldn't have died...right? "Where are they?" he muttered to himself as Cloud came up to him.

"They just showed up at the gates. They're looking for you Leon. Are you going to tell them now?" Cloud asked.

"Yeah, its now or never. Right?" Leon said with a small smile.

"Yeah. Good luck." Cloud said with a tiny wave before disappearing into the mass of people doing random jobs around the camp.

-x-X-x-

Sora, Roxas and Kairi made it to the gates and walked through. After looking for about a minute they saw Leon, who was talking with Cloud and made their way over to him. Roxas had finally cooled down enough to talk, but was still as aggrivated as hell.

"I need to talk to you three. Its very important." Leon said and was surprised when Kairi spoke up afterwards.

"We know," she said," Vincent came by and told us."

" Good." Leon said then continued. "They're orders from the King."

"Really?!" Sora said excitedly. He was always up for a new type of mission.

" Yes really Sora." Leon said with a sigh. "They want you to infiltrate the Castle in Oblivion Kingdom territory and get information on the Oblivion Kingdom soldiers and territory."

"And do what there once we're in?" Roxas asked, he did not like where the conversation was going.

"You'll act as spies. You'll figure out a way to get into the Castle and feed us information on the mysterious beings we're fighting, war plans, etc. Keep in mind that the Commanders of the Organization stay there too."

Roxas's heart sank, that would mean...he'd see that bastard Axel. Roxas could do with not seeing that _thing_ in the rest of his lifetime. "Hell no." Roxas spat and Sora was surprised, usually Roxas liked the idea of new missions. Maybe it was because of what happened? Sora did not know.

"Well too bad. You know you're stuck with a mission once you've been given one Roxas. In fact when we get back all three of you are going to see Aerith to get your wounds checked out and the the next day you'll be briefed by the King." Leon said his arms crossed. "You're dismissed then. We'll be moving out now." Leon then moved away to give the orders to his troops to move out in which they did so along with Vincent and Clouds troops mingled among them.

-x-X-x-

"Thank you for helping me out like this."

"No problem. Anything for a friend."

"No I mean it. Seriously _thank you."_

"Yeah and I seriously mean _no problem_ alright?" the voice was a bit irritated.

King Mickey nodded and smiled at the hooded figure before him. At a first glance it would seem that the King of Destiny Kingdom was smiling at a Commander from the Oblivion Kingdom. It was quite the opposite in reality though and the King then motioned for the man to sit down in which he did watching as Mickey took a seat for himself.

"When will my comrades arrive?" the hooded man asked.

"Soon, but I thought it'd be best if I talked to you now to thank you in private. You'll be able to meet them tomorrow." the King said then asked," Do you need anything?"

"Just some water, but since some is already here nothing in particular." Was the answer that the King got as the hooded man drained a glass of water without letting himself be seen, a true skill in itself one might say.

Mickey nodded. "Where will you be staying? The usual place I presume?" he asked and was greeted with a small chuckle from the man.

"Yeah, you know us loners. Not much for the cramped Kingdom style although it really isn't all that bad." the hooded figure replied with a shrug. What the male said was true, not all belonged to either Destiny Kingdom or Oblivion Kingdom. Some chose to roam free of any attachment to a Kingdom, which sometimes brought rage against them, but not much.

"Of course." the King responded and looked out the window. "The Librarians will be coming in soon."

"Yeah and its high time I left also. It was good to see you again Mickey. Seriously. Its been too long hasn't it?" the hooded figure said with a sad tone.

"Yes, it has. I suggest you leave now so that when the Librarians come in they don't get the wrong idea." Mickey pressed and the figure laughed a bit.

"Yeah, I'm a terrible staller. I'll see you tomorrow then. It was good to see you Mickey." And with that the figure slipped out of the secret back door to the Library which was kept hidden from all except a few trusted people just as the Librarians started to walk in bowing to Mickey before going off and doing their chores around the Great Library.

"That you are Riku." Mickey muttered to himself with a small smile.

-x-X-x-

Roxas had been literally dragged to the door which separated the hallway from the infirmary. "I'm FINE for the last fucking time." he snapped at both Kairi and Sora, the ones who'd dragged him there in the first place.

"Roxas." Kairi said with a tired sigh. "If you could see yourself right now you'd want to come down to the infirmary to get yourself checked out. That dude burned you pretty badly in a few spots."

"_Don't_ remind me." Roxas growled as Sora knocked on the door. A brown haired woman then stepped out with shimmering green eyes and Sora put on his goofy grin in which he was known for and cheerily said," Hi Aerith!"

Aerith smiled and anwered just as cheerily back at Sora," Sora, Roxas and Kairi! How wonderful for you three to come and visit me!" she paused then frowned," Or is it something else? Are you three okay?"

"We're fine Aerith." Kairi answered then shoved Roxas into the room after Aerith opened up the door all the way to let them inside where a few of the other nurses and doctors were tending to some other patients.

Roxas winced as he was shoved into the room and glared daggers at her while she moved over near Sora. Aerith looked at Roxas and then immediately moved over to him and frustrated asked quickly while starting to tend to the cuts," What happened?"

"Axel happened." Roxas snarled leaving all three looking confused and dumbfounded. Sighing Roxas added," The redhead Oblivion Kingdom Commander. He told me his name."

"Ohhhhhhhh." Sora said then looked at Aerith. "Soooo. How is he?"

"I'm _fine_ for the bazillionth time!" Roxas growled at his brother.

Aerith ignored Roxas's harsh words and felt him wince as she cleaned up the burned wound on his shouder. "He'll be fine Sora. A little scratched up sure, but fine all the same. Although I don't know about his cute little attitude though." she said with a smile poking Roxas's arm who sighed and tolerated her teasings, at least just for now.

It wasn't long before Aerith had given all three the A-OK signal and let them leave the infirmary to tend to the other patients. Kairi had left the two brothers to talk alone as it was getting late and she had said she'd better be getting back to her room.

"Are you going to tell me the whole thing?" Sora said prodding Roxas as they walked back to the hallway where their rooms were situated in.

"..."

"C'mon Roxas!" Sora said prodding his brother further.

"...fine, if it'll shut you up and leave me alone for the night." Roxas finally replied with a sigh while Sora gave him his signature goofy grin and gave a shout of triumph.

"I'm ready for it now." Sora said putting his hands behind his head in wait for Roxas to begin.

"There isn't much to tell. First there was me fighting the monsters of the Oblivion Kingdom until I saw something was wrong, they were avoiding me. It was then Axel showed up, but I didn't know who he was at first, and attacked me out of nowhere. After that we exchanged blows for awhile until he decided we make a bet or more elaborately put, a challenge." he paused, Sora was intently watching Roxas with a serious expression on his face. Roxas cleared his throat then continued," I said no, but then he got me angry enough so that I accidentally accepted. As you can see I lost and then he-" Roxas was cut off by Sora.

"Kissed you." he frowned and pondered this for a few seconds then replied with a huge mischevious grin. "I think Roxy's got an admirer." he was joking, but Roxas did not like the joke one bit.

"W-What the..?!" Roxas stammered then flushed as he hit Sora upside the head and angrily retorted," I do NOT! AND DON'T CALL ME ROXY!"

"Ow!" Sora complained as he massaged the bump on his head from Roxas. "It was only a joke! Don't get so angry at me over that!"

Roxas sighed. "Sorry..." he said half-apologizing sincerely. "I'm just tired and need my sleep. I'll see you tomorrow morning for that meeting thing, okay?" Sora nodded before opening the door to his room and shutting the door quietly behind him.

Just as Roxas was about to open his door a loud," G'Night Rox!" sounded from behind Sora's door.

"Goodnight Sora." Roxas yelled back, but careful not to wake the other sleeping people near his room as he slipped inside collapsing onto his bed. Sighing he frowned as Axel's words came back to him.

_'Thanks for that. See you around Roxy.'_

It was soon after a half an hour of punishing Axel in his mind that he finally fell asleep his thoughts still jumping back and forth on the subject of the day's events.

-x-X-x-

That night Sora couldn't sleep. Usually he went out like a light in no time, but for some reason tonight was different. _Was it because of what Axel did and I saw?_ Sora thought then pondered this for a few minutes chewing his lip. Sighing he sat up and stretched then flopped back down onto the bed on his back. "I feel tired, but I don't." he muttered then sighed again. Looking at the clock it read the numbers 12:21 it was almost a half an hour past midnight. "Maybe a walk'll get me tired enough." he mumbled before stepping out the door and shutting it quietly so as not to disturb the others in the hallway.

Sora hadn't changed out of his other clothes since he felt he was too tired to do anything else, but sleep. He was wrong for it was positive he couldn't and he thought it was better that he didn't have to change and could do so when he got back from the walk. Stepping out into the castle garden he walked along the stone path looking up at the moon which was perfectly white as snow and round as a cookie in Sora's mind. (What? I like cookies and so does Sora. -pout-) Sitting on a nearby bench he swung his legs up so that he was laying on his back facing the stars.

Sora stayed like that for awhile, just looking at the stars, picking out the constellations he knew from one of the astronomers in the castle Yen Sid, who was also the retired magics teacher who taught before Donald, but little did Sora know that he was being watched...

-x-X-x-

Author's Note

Kiesha: Axel's kiss did bring some confusion now didn't it? I had a sudden urge to stick Vincent in here somehow, cause I was luffing him in the last chapter. So yes, he added to Roxas's embarrassment. Brava Vincent! That aside the last thing is that the SoRi and SoKai will be starting next chapter! Please, please, please review and tell me wheather you think that Sora should end up with Kairi or Riku in the end! (Unsure at the moment, but I will decide on something sooner or later.) That's it. Ta!


	6. Pale Moonshine

Disclaimer: ( Too busy plotting to come up with some smart remark about plotting to own Kingdom Hearts.) As of right now it still is not mine. -hiss- (Though I do own all three KH games. Just not the characters and such.)

Side Note: Here starts some of the SoKai and SoRi. Yay for all you fans. The AkuRoku stuff will be here to stay still although... (love triangle mind plotting yet again.)

Spoiler Alert: If you haven't finished the part where you fight Demyx and fight alongside Axel in Kingdom Hearts II then do not read the Author's Note at the end of this page. That is all. Now read for -insert name here-'s sake!

Chapter 5

Pale Moonshine

"Isn't it a nice night?"

Sora shot up from his laying position on the bench and ended up falling off in the process hitting his head against the stone pathway. "Ow," he groaned in pain for a second then got to his feet dusting himself off before asking," Who's there? Show yourself!"

It was then that a man in the dark coat appeared and Sora immediately summoned his keyblade. "My name is Riku. Can I ask yours? There's no need for hostility."

"What do you mean no need? You're part of the Oblivion Kingdom aren't you?" Sora asked gripping his keyblade tighter at its handle.

"What I said. I'm not here to fight, just talk to someone and that happens to be you since you're the only one here. As for the Oblivion Kingdom comment, no I am not one of them." Riku said and took off the coat, hanging it on his arm.

Sora looked at Riku and then relaxed a bit. He looked friendly enough, even though he was still suspicious there was something about him...an aura of some type. "Then are you a loner? Because I don't think I've seen you around here Riku. Oh, and the name's Sora by the way." Sora said putting his hands behind his head and leaning on his heels.

"I guess you do have a brain under that mess of hair." Riku said jokingly and nodded. "I am a loner."

Sora pouted a bit at the remark about his hair then laughed giving Riku his signature goofy grin. "Of course I do Riku!" he said cheerily before sitting on the bench again pulling his hands together so his fingers linked behind his head.

Riku laughed along with Sora. "Yeah I guess you do!" Smiling he walked over to the bench and sat down next to Sora watching the stars with him a bit as they chatted over numerous things like what their favorite food was and siblings.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters Riku?" Sora asked cocking his head at the silver headed teen who Sora had found out was a year older than him.

"Naw, only child. Sorry. You?" Riku asked returning the question.

"Yeah I got a brother. His name's Roxas and then there's my cousin Cloud, but we don't see each other often because of the war y'know?" Sora seemed sad for a moment, but it was quickly wiped away when he cheerily asked," Would you like to meet Roxas sometime? I'm sure he wouldn't mind, as long as it isn't in the morning. Waking him up should be considered dodging practice from all the things he throws!" Sora started to laugh then gave a yawn.

Riku laughed too. He was enjoying being with Sora, a lot. "Sleepy? Why don't you go back to your room and get some sleep? I should probably do the same soon."

"Naw...I'm fine..." Sora said drowsily and then fell asleep and rolled over so that he was laying on the bench his head resting on Riku's thigh mumbling something that was unable for anyone to make out.

Riku was surprised at the sudden reaction then a small blush came over him and he shook it off and thought to himself, _you can't be falling for him Riku! Not now! You've gotta keep your promise!_ That seemed to do the trick and Riku sighed and picked Sora up in his arms and carried him to his room in which he settled Sora in and left shutting the door quietly behind him as he walked towards the garden once again admiring how the moonlight seemed to bathe the garden in its shimmering light. He just stood there for a few moments and before he knew it his thoughts strayed, but what they strayed to surprised him a bit. They strayed to thoughts of Sora.

-x-X-x-

Roxas blinked his eyes open to the sight of his clock in his face. It read 6:55 a.m. Sitting up Roxas looked out his window at the sky for a moment then got up. It usually wasn't him to wake up that early, but then again strange things had happened and he was sure to expect them today too.

After getting ready he opened the door and knocked on Sora's door. When no one answered he peeked inside and found him still to be asleep. Shutting the door quietly so he wouldn't wake him up he sighed running a hand through his spikey blonde hair. Walking down the hallway he decided since he had time on his hands he'd stop by the Library, just for something to do while he waited for Sora and Kairi to get up and get ready to meet the King today.

Opening the great doors of the Library Roxas stepped in and entered an asle of books looking at their titles on the spines absent-mindedly.

"Roxas!"

Roxas turned to see who had called his name as was greeted with a hug that toppled him to the floor. "Wh-What the...?" he managed to stammer out a look of surprise on his face until he saw the familiar white dress and golden blonde hair. "Namine!" he said with a smile.

"Its soooo good to see you Roxas! Seriously!" she said tightening the friendly hug a bit then broke away with a huge smile on her face. Only then did she see the treated wound mark on his neck and she went over and turned her head so she could get a better look at it.

"Uh, Nam, its just a- Ow!" Roxas said in surprise as she prodded it. "That still hurts you know." he responded grumpily moving away from her hand.

"Oops. Sorry Roxas." she replied with a sad tone then looked up at him. "Its burned. That's not normal. How did...it happen?"

Was _everyone_ going to ask how it happened? Roxas sighed and then thought again, well Nam's been worried and stuff so I should tell her. We almost never get to see each other anymore. "One of the Oblivion Kingdom's Commanders. He was using a weird type of magic." Roxas said then thought about it for a moment. How _did_ Axel make that fire?

Roxas's thoughts were interrupted by Namine. "I'm so sorry Roxas!" she said sniffing a bit as if she were about to cry.

"Hey, hey!" Roxas said going over to her patting her back comfortingly. "Its not your fault! I was just not careful enough, that's all!"

"He could have killed you Roxas! I was worried sick for all of you, I should've stopped you!" she said as a few tears escaped and she wiped them away hurridly.

"How could you know that would happen? Its not your fault. Even if you did know, would it stop me from going? No. I'm happy if I can protect this Kingdom and you. You're a special friend to me Nam. Okay? So don't beat yourself up over what I wasn't careful enough over." Roxas said trying his best to cheer her up.

She sniffed. "You're right. I-I'm so- I mean, I'm glad you're my friend Roxas. Why're you here though?" she said changing the subject quickly.

A little too quickly, Roxas thought, but quickly brushed the thought away as he spoke. "To kill time, but I found you instead so that's better than any book at the moment. You wanna catch up for a bit?" he asked and she happily shook her head. Roxas always thought Namine would stay his friend forever and he was starting to believe more strongly in that now. He took his own seat as Namine collected her sketchbook and took her own seat as they dove into a conversation that seemed and did last for hours.

-x-X-x-

Meanwhile there were others talking, but in a more...fighting manner.

"Axel you idiot!"

"What?" the redhead had looked up from his book in his room where he was stretched out on the bed looking up at the hooded figure before him.

"What were you doing? Pulling something like that! You really are a pervert like everyone says!" the hooded figure spoke this time in an accusing tone.

"Put a sock in it Demyx, can't you see I'm trying to read already?" Axel spoke making one of his chakrams come into his hand as he threw it at Demyx who was unprepared and widened his eyes as it created some wind blowing Demyx's hood off him before returning to Axel in which it disappeared. "Besides, why're you talking to me hidden? It _is_ my room after all. There aren't any enemies here. Unless you'd like to get on my nerves that is." Axel flashed Demyx a devious smile.

Demyx gulped a bit and then clearing his throat said," Don't fool yourself Axel! Why'd you kiss that boy in the first place? You know that someone would have seen you!" Demyx was close to going off on another ramble before Axel gave a sigh.

"Demyx, Demyx, Demyx. I was just messing around. If you could've _seen_ the_ look_ on Roxas's face..." he burst into laughter. "It was _priceless._"

"Still Axel... be reasonable. You can't just do that you know. They're the enemy and it our job to-" he was cut off again.

"I'm fully aware of our goals _mother._" Axel replied with emphasis on the last word. "I'm losing my patience Demyx. Just get to the chase already."

"Well, fine. _Don't_ listen to me. I tried to warn you at least! Don't go messing around with that Roxen, Ruxus, Raxes whatever his name is! All of us, even you, know that for a fact that this sort of thing can not be possible! I don't want you to get hurt. I'm your friend wheather you like it or not." Demyx said then turned around and marched out of the room sweating with nervousness. He could've sworn that if he'd been in there five more seconds he wouldn't have any part of his body that _wasn't_ on fire. Slowly he turned down a different corridor and slipped into the shadows that greeted him as he walked along the empty corridor.

Axel on the other hand had been smiling the whole time Demyx had been talking. "Listen Demyx." Axel said starting to speak altough he certainly knew that Demyx wasn't in the vacinity anymore. "I don't have any connection to the kid. I won't get hurt, besides it'll take a whole lot more than that kid to hurt me and you know me right? I always bounce back, much to Saix's distaste of course." he chuckled then said," Thanks for being my friend, you annoying little hippie." He looked out the window whose curtains had been pulled away to reveal a huge heart-shaped moon which lingered over the castle in a certain part, the very middle. Then he commented this in his mind about how that pale moonshine seemed to cast weird shadows along the walls of the castle before he went to sleep.

'A perfect fake moon for a perfect fake somebody-nobody'

-x-X-x-

Author's Note

Kiesha: Yay! Demmy is here! I like to portray Demyx as well a weak member sure, but also one who had a strong heart despite his Nobodyness and all. I liked Demyx a lot and felt sad for him when he faded, I mean he was just doing Pretty Princess Mansex's job. He was too funny, I luffed him. Rest in Peace Demyx, rest in peace...along with Axel and all them other Nobodies. Even the pretty princess whom I do like a little despite his actions. -bows head-


	7. A Mission, A Fight, and An Axel Oh no!

Disclaimer: ...what? No I still do not own Kingdom Hearts! I mean how am I suppose to get that thing from up there down here?! -cough- Oh that other thing, no it still doesn't belong to me.

Side Note: I am in Hawai'i for Spring Break! Yay! That is all.

Chapter 6

A Mission, A Fight, and an Axel. Oh no!

It was then that Roxas looked over at the clock in the Library which hung over the huge doors that served as the entrence/exit to it. "I'd better get going," Roxas said to Namine who looked a little disappointed.

"Yeah, I guess so." Namine said," You still have that meeting with the King right? I'm sure Sora's also looking for you with Kairi."

Roxas nodded. "Probably. Although I'm sure that we'll just all meet up where the meeting's supposed to be."

Namine smiled. "Yeah, you'd better hurry then! Sorry to have kept you so long."

"Its fine." Roxas smiled now. "I should really leave now. See you around Namine!" Roxas waved and then took off out the door and down the hall. It was as he was running he finally figured out that he'd skipped breakfast and he sighed, but luckily it was close to lunch so he knew he would be eating soon.

As Roxas came to the door he knocked politely and a voice came from the other side. "Come in!" Roxas opened the door and stepped inside politely shutting the door behind him. Looking up he saw Kairi, Sora and King Mickey, but there was someone else. Leaning against the bookcase was someone in a Commander's cloak, it was one! Pulling out his Oathkeeper keyblade her attacked, but he was blocked by Sora. "Sora! What are you doing?" Roxas said stepping back a bit with a glare at the hooded person.

"He's not our enemy! He's our ally Roxas, he's in disguise!" Sora said and Roxas arched an eyebrow at Sora and then turned to the King. "Why couldn't you have given me warning before?"

King Mickey sighed before answering. "It needed to be kept on a low key matter." he quickly changed the subject after that. "So now that you're all here I'd like you to meet a very good friend of mine. Riku." he motioned to the hooded man who was named Riku.

Riku took his hood off so that Roxas could see his face. He smiled and looked at first Roxas then Sora then Kairi with his aquamarine colored eyes. Running a hand through his silver hair he said," Yeah I'm Riku. Just to get some questions out of the way, I'm not from either Kingdom and I'm your comrade for this mission."

Roxas just narrowed his eyes a bit, but said nothing. Sora smiled and said to Kairi," He's really nice! Trust me." Kairi nodded, she obviously agreed with him. In the end Roxas just shrugged when Sora's gaze turned to him.

"Now for the breifing part." Mickey interrupted a bit with a cough. "Your mission is to somehow infilrate the Oblivion Kingdom's castle and feed us information through an agent we have already stationed in the territory. Her name is Yuffie and she'll meet you here at your rendevouz point. Okay?" Mickey pointed on a map to a certain spot and all four nodded as to say they understood where to meet. "You'll meet with her once a week whenever possible. If it isn't then we'll either assume something's gone wrong or you haven't managed to slip away yet and go off on our back-up plan. The plan is that if you've been discovered we'll sneak Yuffie in with her attack squad and break you out or we'll give you another week. Now here is where you'll enter the territory..." Mickey then went on about the minor details and such of the mission always checking to make sure all four understood. It was a very delicate situation for them to be in after all, if something were to go wrong... Mickey shook away his thoughts on the subject.

-x-X-x-

After the meeting the King sent them to get ready and get some lunch. They could do whatever they wanted after doing that so Sora decided to take the time to go into the village after lunch. Roxas was still eating when he left and shook his head at the request of asking to come with him. In the end it was Kairi who came with him and Sora was o-kay with that.

"So where did you have in mind that you wanted to see in the village?" Kairi asked looking up at him.

Sora shrugged. "Nowhere in particular, just...around."

Kairi smiled and nodded. "That sounds like a good plan then. How about we walk near the shops a bit? We haven't been there since, well since like ever!" She was exaggerating, but she didn't care. It was nice to be walking with Sora and stuff.

"Sure. Where's the harm in things? And it _is_ true we haven't been there in awhile anyway." Sora said putting his hands behind his head as they walked. After that they just talked about little things like how things were going for Kairi at home and about things that they liked, like their favorite ice cream flavor.

"So what's your favorite kind of ice cream Sora?" Kairi asked and stopped at the ice cream place which was to the right of them.

"Hmm. I like Vanilla quite a bit." he said with a smile. "Now what's yours?"

"Me? I like Strawberry." Kairi answered then walked over to the ice cream guy who got out the ice cream for them as they ordered it.

"We should get Roxas some ice cream too. He loves that stuff!" Sora said," Otherwise he'll be in a sour mood the rest of the day!" Kairi laughed at that as Sora ordered some Sea-salt ice cream for this brother.

Seeing the sun going down Sora and Kairi walked back to the castle quickly so the ice cream wouldn't melt. As they entered the hallway where Roxas and Sora's rooms were they spotted the blonde making his way down the hallway. "Roxas!" Sora called catching his brother's attention.

"Yeah?" Roxas asked walking over and then saw an ice cream being handed to him he smiled as he took it. "Thanks you guys."

"No problem. Right Kairi?" Sora smiled at her. She smiled back and then said," Well its getting late. I'd better get home soon! My mom'll worry about where I've been." she waved to both boys and then took off down the hallway. It was then she spotted Riku leaning against one of the pillars in the castle.

-x-X-x-

"See ya Kairi!" Sora shouted as she left at a quick pace.

"Yeah, bye!" Roxas called after Sora to the red wine-haired girl. "Sooooo, how was your walk with her?" Roxas decided to take this to his advantage for the wise-crack Sora had pulled about Axel being his _'admirer'_.

"Pretty good. We had ice cream and brought you some." Sora said still unaware what was going to happen.

Roxas took a bite of his ice cream then asked with a smirk," Do you like Kairi?"

Sora turned red and stammered out," Wh-What?! Where did this come from?!"

"So you do like her." Roxas said nodding while eating his ice cream.

"I do not!" Sora shouted at him," We're just friends!"

"Uh Sora? It was just a joke, and you're making a scene." Roxas pointed out as a few people peeked out of their doors to look down the hallway.

Sora glared at Roxas then sighed. "Whatever, just don't do that!" he growled.

"Yeah sure, Sora, but its true what they say. Revenge is sweet and people _can_ read you like an open book!" Roxas said before going into his room before Sora could explode on him. Not that Sora did it often, rarely unless you got him pretty mad.

"W-What? Revenge for...Roxas!" Sora said angrily being careful to keep his voice down. When he saw that his brother had gone up snuck into his room he pouted and opened the door to his own room. Stepping inside he shut it without a care and flopped down on the bed falling asleep quickly.

-x-X-x-

Roxas on the other hand was snickering to himself as he admired his handy work. He pulled a book from the bookshelf in his room and opened it removing the red tassle attached to the end as a bookmark. Sitting on the bed he began to read flipping the pages with his finger.

After awhile or so he absently looked out the window which was open and saw two black cloaked people in the garden. From what Roxas could tell one was Riku, while the other...wait a minute who the hell is that?! Roxas hurried to the door swinging it open and leaving it like that as he took off down the hallway.

-x-X-x-

It was true, Riku was in the garden with someone else and it _wasn't _a friend. "What do you want here?" Riku said summoning his keyblade, Way to Dawn, to his hand and pointed it threateningly at the hidden person.

"No reason, just out of a stroll in enemy grounds." the hooded person replied casually.

"Don't toy with me. What's the real reason?" Riku growled," This is the last time I'm asking nicely!"

"Oh? Is that so?" a little snicker sounded.

"What's so funny?" Riku said a bit confused by this person.

"What is? Why you of course! You want your reason? Give me a good time to remember and I _might_ give you one." answered the hooded man summoning a pair of chakrams. "First things first. The name's Axel. A-X-E-L. Got it memorized?"

"Uh sure. I'm Riku, don't go forgetting that now!" Riku said jumping at Axel and slashing at him with Way to Dawn.

Axel smiled and flicked off his hood with a motion of his head before blocking Riku's attacks with his chakrams before jumping back and spinning them so that they lit fire right away throwing them at Riku who was pushed back a few feet by blocking them. They flew back to Axel who caught them with a smile and then both he and Riku dashed forwards slicing at each other with their weapons which were blocked by each other.

As they broke apart Axel took the chance to quickly race behind Riku as he dashed forwards while throwing his fire entinged chakrams at him.

Riku was unprepared for the attack and was pushed forwards while getting almost burned if it wasn't for his quick turn to the front and pulling his keyblade to help fend off the chakrams. Gritting his back teeth he managed to fling them away in which Axel caught them again with a smirk. Catching his breath for a moment Riku looked out of the corner of his eye to catch someone coming towards them calling his name. It was Roxas.

-x-X-x-

Roxas had dashed from his room, down the hallway and down the stairs to the garden. Stopping for only about a few seconds to catch his breath he finally made it to the garden. "Riku!" Roxas yelled summoning both Oblivion and Oathkeeper. Getting to Riku's side he asked," Are you okay?"

"Yeah, we'll take him on together." Riku said bringing up Way to Dawn in the attack position as Roxas did the same for his keyblades glaring at Axel. It was time for revenge.

"Well, well, well. Seems like I've got my work cut out for me don't I?" Axel said with a smirk. "And Roxy. I told you I'd see you around and here you are. Lets give ourselves a fight to remember hmm?" That said Axel attacked both of them in which Riku dodged one way and Roxas the other. As Roxas moved in to an attack swinging his keyblades in an X slash motion Riku ran around the other way getting ready to attack Axel if he blocked the attack from Roxas. Axel did block Roxas's attack with one chakram and Riku's with the other as he came in for a counter strike. Too bad the chakram that had been fending off Roxas's attack only held Oathkeeper in place. Roxas lashed out with Oblivion a few times cutting Axel so he had to break apart with his chakrams. Panting for a few seconds Axel got up with a smile then made a portal that looked like the one Roxas had seen before. "That was fun. I'll be sure to come back soon if it gets like this. Too bad I won't be able to complete my mission today though." he sighed and shrugged before walking into the dark portal.

"You wait a minute!" Roxas shouted and dashed inside the portal after Axel just as it closed.

"Roxas!" Riku shouted, but he was now alone in the garden.

-x-X-x-

Author's Note

Kiesha: Yay for me. I'm in Hawai'i! Hey that made a rhyme! Cool. So I finally got the time to get this chapter done. Sorry for leaving you all at a cliffhanger! ; And again, press the cute little button at the bottom of the page to review please? Pleeeeease?


	8. Inside Enemy Territory

Disclaimer: zzzzzzz... what? No I still do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters. Now back to my relaxing for now. zzzzzzz

Side Note: Time to see what happens after evil me for the cilffhanger. Poor Roxy, I pick on him waaaaaaaay too much. Time for picking on Riku, Kairi and Sora for a bit then its back to Roxas! Muahahaha! 

Rating: T For blood, language, Shouen-ai, and really random things, etc.

Chapter 7

Inside Enemy Territory

Riku was growing a bit worried since it had been a few minutes and Roxas still hadn't reappeared. "Damn it!" Riku swore dashing for the village. _How the hell am I suppose to get us out of this mess!_ Riku thought angrily to himself, _Everything is going wrong! We need to save Roxas!_

_But how?_ It was that little voice inside his head.

_Damn conscience. _Riku thought, but it had a very good point. Just _how_ were they going to save Roxas? Riku decided that he'd think about it later with Sora, Kairi and the King..._No! _Riku then thought about Roxas being in the Oblivion Kingdom in another light,_ we need to get him out NOW!_ They could torture that kid or something! Riku turned a corner and saw some familiar wine-red hair. "Kairi!" Riku called and Kairi looked up from looking at some fruit to wave at Riku.

"Hey Riku." Kairi said to her silver-haired friend cheerily. It was then she saw the exhausted and nervous look on his face that she asked worriedly," Are you okay? Did something happen?"

"Yeah. We need to save Roxas." Riku said hurridly before grabbing her and pulling her along as they headed towards Sora's room.

"Save Roxas? Did something happen to him!" Kairi asked, now she was even more worried and frightened than before. "What happened Riku!" she asked again.

"I'll tell you and Sora both when we get him! Now come on!" Riku said finally letting her go so that she could run next to him as they entered the hallway where Sora's room was.

Without bothering to knock on the door they rushed inside to see Sora getting dressed. "Oh god!" Riku yelled shoving himself and Kairi out of the door in which both were deep red.

"Don't you guys ever knock!" Sora yelled angrily from his room.

"S-sorry." Kairi said quietly although Riku made up for it by saying a little louder.

"Sorry Sora. It was very important and there wasn't any time to waste. You'll understand when we tell you."

A few moments later Sora appeared and then leaning in his doorframe said," What's so important?"

"We need to go save Roxas. He-" Riku said and was surprised when Sora spoke again cutting him off.

"Roxas? What the hell happened? Is he alright? Tell me already!" Sora shouted and Kairi had to interrupt him.

Placing her hand on Sora's shoulder she said softly," I'm worried for Roxas too Sora. Just calm down a bit so that the other people in the hall come running like we're being invaded, okay? As soon as Riku's done we'll do something to help Roxas alright?" She had obviously revived from the shock of the event beforehand.

Sora sighed and leaned against Kairi," Yeah. Thanks Kairi." he looked up at Riku. "Riku, can you please tell us the rest?"

"Yeah." Riku said with a nod. "One of the Oblivion Commanders showed up in the palace garden. I'm not sure how he got there, but he did and I fought him. Roxas showed up after a bit and we tag-teamed him. He said his name was Axel and after we wounded him a bit he started to leave through this weird black portal thing. Roxas still wanted to finish the fight and dashed in after Axel after he disappeared into it. It was too late for me to go in after them when the portal disappeared a second later. After that I found Kairi and came up here to your room. Sorry for not knocking again. Something bad could happen to him! We need to go to the Castle NOW and save him! Forget the mission, we have a comrade in there. Who knows what they'll do to him when they catch him?"

Sora was a bit shocked and lost his sense of speaking for a few seconds before bursting out," Then lets go already!"

Kairi sighed. Boys were so headstrong, charging forwards without even thinking! "Um, you guys? Don't you think we should leave prepared? I mean we don't even know what's in that territory besides the Oblivion Kingdom, their Commanders, villagers, and white and black monsters! Lets prepare ourselves first and then get going. Roxas will be fine for the time being. Don't forget that he can take care of himself just as much as you two can!"

Sora and Riku felt stupid as they heard Kairi speak. "She's got a point." Riku said recovering and leaving Sora in the dust.

"Uh, yeah. Lets go get the stuff then!" Sora said with a little laugh before dragging Kairi off to get the stuff together as quickly as possible with a trailing Riku behind them.

-x-X-x-

"What is this place?" Roxas asked as he suddenly found himself in a strange alter-demension. Taking a few steps forwards he looked around and it only seemed like a world of blue, red and some strange symbols floating around. Hearing a noise behind him he quickly turned around bringing Oathkeeper and Oblivion to his hands. There wasn't anything there and he tilted his head in confusion. "What's going on?" he muttered to himself only to be hearing that same noise again and a second later being jumped by the black monsters so that he crashed to the ground face-first. Rolling over he slashed at them making them disappear. Getting up he looked around and then asked quietly," How am I supposed to get out of here?"

After walking around the strange world for a little while all the time fighting off the black and white monsters Roxas began to tire. "Is there no end to this damn place?" he asked aloud angrily.

"Yes. If you know how." came a voice.

"Huh?" Roxas turned around, there was another person clad in the black coat of the Commanders. "What do you want?" he shot at him sharply.

"They're looking for you. Your friends." came the reply," You shouldn't have come in here after Axel! Now _they_ know you're here although they don't know about our conversation. You need to get out of here. I can't help you anymore after this I'm afraid, I'm sorry this turned out this way!" flicking his hand to the side another black portal came through. "We're not all bad you know, I envy you Roxas, I really do. So does Axel. Goodbye, I hope we don't meet each other again and- Oh my goodness! Run! Run away!" With that the Commander dashed through the portal.

"What?" It was then Roxas saw what the Commander had run away from. It was one of those black monsters except it was huge! Like enormous sized! "Wait!" Roxas called then dashed in after him not wanting to fight that huge thing which had at least three more behind it. He then appeared next to a dark stone made wall. "Thank you..." Roxas looked around to see where he was. From what he could surmise he was inside castle gates... _Holy hell! Am I in...holy crap I am! This is NOT good n-o-t, not good! _Roxas thought as his mind started to panic a bit. Seeing some of the white and black monsters slither by he gulped a bit. _Okay I need a plan...but how am I gonna get out of here? Its not as if I can go up to the castle guard and ask him to open the gate for me! I'm not some Commander or whatever... _Roxas gave himself a mental slap on the forehead. He could disguise himself as a Commander and waltz right out of there! Piece 'o cake! _Wait...how am I going to do that though? ...that means I have to...aw shit._ He knew what his plan called for and he did not like it one bit. It meant he had to find a way to get into the castle _without_ being seen. Enter a Commander's room, _without_ them being there. Stealing one of those cloaks and getting out _without_ being questioned by anyone and getting out in _one full piece._

After thinking out his plan is was obvious to anyone that simply walking through the door wasn't going to work. There was however a window near the ground level that would work perfectly for his break-in. It was just after that he got in worried Roxas, he wouldn't know which rooms were Commander's rooms and which weren't. Roxas also had to ponder over the fact of how to get back out of the castle since he didn't have a map or anyone to help him. "Just do it already you idiot." he growled at himself at his hesitation and jumped through the window.

-x-X-x-

"Okay have we got everything?" Sora asked Kairi who was checking everything over.

"Yep. We're all set." Kairi said with a nod.

"Good, lets get a move on then!" Riku said picking up his pack for the journey.

"To where again?" Sora asked a bit in confusion puttting his hands behind his head.

"The best place to start would probably be the castle in Oblivion Kingdom Territory." Riku said before walking towards the gates of the castle where three horses stood. "For faster travel. The King originally let us use them." he added when Kairi cast a questioning look. It only took a few minutes for all three to get onto the horses and dash out of the gates on the horses.

Soon the garrison in which seperated the Destiny Kingdom from the Oblivion Kingdom came into sight. Without pausing to the guards they dashed past leaving the confused guards to wonder on why these crazy kids were going into the Oblivion Territory of all places!

"Which way do we go Riku?" Sora asked, he honestly did not know a thing about the territory since no one who had come into the territory had come back with information except for a few.

"This way, but lets rest the horses a bit first. They're started to get pretty tired." Riku said pointing to a small river that was just a few yards away.

They trotted over to the river and dismounted as Kairi pulled out a piece of blank paper that looked like map paper. "I'm going to make a map for future reference in case we need to come back or lose our way or something else." Kairi said and Riku nodded.

"Good plan." Riku said smiling at her as Sora did the same.

"Awesome thinking Kairi!" he said making her giggle a bit with cheeriness.

"Now lets get down to buisiness," Riku said to his compainions. "We'll need to go that a ways for awhile till we come to a huge stand of trees. When we first spot the trees we need to go through them till we get to a huge snowy mountain. After that we follow the treeline till it ends and the castle should come into view. Its kind-of a town like ours except here in this territory its always nighttime. The town is more lit up and has very tall buildings. Be careful those monsters walk along the paths throughout the city."

"Hey Riku, how come you know so much about this place?" Sora asked suspiciously," Have you been there before and how do you know the King anyway?"

"Firstly I don't work for Oblivion Kingdom Sora. You know that!" he playfully punched Sora in the arm trying to lighten the dark mood that had fallen over Kairi and Sora concerning Roxas's disappearance," Yes I have been here before, under very bad circumstances, but that's something for another time. As for how I met the King...I guess we've got time to kill. I'll tell you guys the story."

"That sounds like a good plan!" Kairi said with a warm smile. "Right Sora?"

"Why not!" Sora said then he and Kairi turned half their attention to Riku as the other half was making sure they didn't ride off a cliff.

"Alrighty then. Let me start the story." Riku said preparing to begin the story.

-x-X-x-

Meanwhile Roxas had slipped through the window and into a kitchen that was shrouded with darkness, the only light coming from some pale moonshine that entered through an overhead window. _Its not a surprise that no one is here. After all it is the dead of night._ Roxas thought making his way past the pantry door when he heard footsteps outside the door. Quickly slipping inside the pantry he shut the door as quietly and quickly as possible as two black clad figures entered the shadowy kitchen. _Commanders,_ Roxas thought with a mental curse in his head. They were speaking now and Roxas tuned in to listen. It wasn't that hard since they weren't being careful to be quiet in the least since they still didn't know he was there.

"So Number II, any new news lately from The Superior?" asked the Commander to Roxas's left, the Commander sounded feminine.

"Nothing much XII." answered the other Commander or 'Number II'. "Just pondering over the missions given out by the Superior and Number VII. Number VIII's in particular."

"Oh? What of his mission?" Number XII said obviously interested. Roxas listened with a more intense look on his face.

"It was to capture the target and bring it here, but you have to stop and wonder. He's failed _twice_ to bring it in. Maybe he's adapted a liking to it?" It was obviously a joke as both Commanders broke out into laughter.

"If it were _my_ mission I would have gotten it over and done with _ages_ ago." Number XII said with a chuckle.

"You're too rough XII. They would worry that you would break the poor thing." Number II chuckled only to duck as a knife was thrown at him landing in the doorframe of the pantry where Roxas was. Sweating a bit when he heard the knife hit its impact point he gave a hard gulp. This lady scared him, I mean she threw a knife, a _knife!_ At her own comrade! "You're too tempermental XII. It was just a joke."

"Well _I_ for one did not find it very funny. Just get to your point already." she sounded very impatient.

"Alright then. My point is that you should go pass on the message to keep a look-out for the target. From what Number VII tells me, he's here in the castle. As for me I'm off to Number VIII's room. The Superior wanted to have a little chat with him effective immdiately. What for I'm not sure, but some fireworks would be pret-ty entertaining to see." Number II said before waving and walking out through the door.

"So its an order, is it? Fine, but I do hope I run into the target in the hallway. White may be fine, but it could use some _color._" Number XII said before laughing and walking out the door. After a few minutes Roxas stepped out of the door and into the kitchen again. _This target. Who is it? They mentioned a VIII, but I don't know anyone like that. Also they said he was in the castle and...holy shit what have I gotten myself into? _Roxas groaned as the realization hit him like a bulldozer. He was the target! And Number VIII? _Axel is Number VIII I think and this so-called 'Superior' wants to talk to him... _For a moment Roxas started to worry, but then contradicted himself. _You hope he gets hurt Roxas! That idiot is what got you into this mess in the first place!_ he locked away his thoughts and slipped out into the hallway which its walls were a pure white color. _That Number II character walked to the left so I think I'd better go that way._ he thought and took the direction being careful to keep his eyes open in case someone decided to come near him in the hallway. _Since Axel is going to be gone from his room I can sneak in and move onto the next step of my plan._ Roxas decided before moving to a corner and peering around it, someone was there.

A knocking could be heard as Roxas looked around the corner. The numbers VIII were firmly labled on the door and the figure that was knocking Roxas could only surmise as the Number II that he'd seen in the dark kitchen. Taking off his hood he knocked again this time more impatient. Roxas could see that he had black and gray hair and a scar running down his left cheek. He also had his right eye covered by an eyepatch and Roxas could only wonder why. "I'm coming already!" came and annoyed voice from behind the door and after a few seconds the door opened revealing Axel.

"The Superior sent me to get you VIII." Number II said crossing his arms. "Lets go already."

"Fine." Axel said before stepping out. "Must be pretty important for him to waste _your_ valuable time right Xigbar?"

"Whatever. Lets just go already." Xigbar answered and both men walked off through a portal. Looking around one more time Roxas walked quickly to Axel's door and opened it shutting it behind him quickly.

"Now if I were a black coat where would I be?" Roxas asked softly looking around the room which was a bit messy with books and such. "Does he ever clean up in here?" After sorting through a few things Roxas found a coat. Putting it on he soon found out that it was waaaay too big for him so he comprimised by finding a pair of scissors in the room and cutting it off so that it fit him better. "There we are." Roxas said admiring his handiwork and putting it on. Pulling up the hood so that it hung over his head he stepped out into the hallway once again.

_Just keep this up and you're out of here. Hey...wait, who is that? Aw crap they're coming over! _Roxas thought as yet another Commander showed up. _Are there like millions of these people! Or are they clones or something! _Honestly he was getting tired of seeing the same black coat every few seconds.

"Where are you going?" asked the Commander.

"Out for a little bit." Roxas said trying to act casual.

"Really now? Well good luck with that then." said the Commander giving Roxas a nod before walking by him.

Roxas nodded back then started to walk a bit faster, but soon found himself being attacked from behind. Stumbling forwards he caught himself from ending up on the floor. Turning around with his face still covered he met an unhooded man with silver hair that seemed to be like Riku's except darker and hung down the right side of his face.

"We're suppose to be going to a meeting. Now I do think _all_ members were informed. You seem to be an intruder." the silver-haired man then summoned a huge book which he held in his hand. "Its time you were brought in target."

Bringing Oathkeeper and Oblivion to his hands Roxas glared at the silver haired man from behind the cloak and attacked him in which he and the keyblades phased through. "I don't think so." Roxas heard the man speak and that's when everything went black.

The last thing Roxas could remember was saying," S-sora, Riku, K-kairi. Hurry."

-x-X-x-

Author's Note

Kiesha: Yayz for Zexion! I also added Larxene and Xiggy to the mix, yay! Poor Roxas, I pick on him still waaaaaaaay too much.

Roxas: Yes you do. Now leave me alone!

Axel: Do it some more. Its fun to watch.

Roxas: You're so... -tries to hurt Axel once again and the two fight yet again-

Kiesha: And this is where I make my leave until the next chapter...oh gawd he's got that pipe again! Run, Run Away! -sort of an inside joke, may be explained in next chapter-


	9. Warning: Beware of flying objects

Disclaimer: Don't we all wish we owned Kingdom Hearts? Or at least just a teeny tiny bit? Yes, us fangirls/boys do I'm sure.

Side Note: The inside joke from the last chapter was that me and my friend were messing around pretending that our favorite characters from a book or game were in the room. Apparently so Axel tried to kiss Roxas in the middle of the Orchestra room(the room we were in) and Roxas got mad and found a random pipe going on a rampage against Axel who hid behind me and my friend. It was funny 'cause Roxas came up behind my friend and almost smacked her over the head with the pipe. X3 Which in turn got her Edward mad. Yes she's an Edward Cullen fangirl.

p.s. For those of you who don't know who Edward Cullen is. He's a vampire from Stephanie Meyer's series of books which are Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse. I have read all three and like them although I am not an Edward fan. I just like him as a character and its my opinion in the end how I look at it. Hey look on the bright side fangirls, one less competitor for your Edward's love against Bella, if you're like that though. 

Chapter 8

Warning: Beware of flying objects

Now Zexion looked at the target for a moment then said to himself in a mutter," Well _that_ was boring." Taking off the hood of the target he found it was a guy and a blonde. _What's up with this world and having a million blondes?_ he wondered for a moment before sighing and picking him up by the hood and dragging him, not too carefully either, to the meeting that was soon to take place in the castle.

Now it was to be expected that people would see Zexion dragging our poor little target/Roxas along. People who worked in the castle would hear the Commander rustling along with his cargo and maybe raise an eyebrow at the silver haired man but say nothing to him. He looked irritated and only from that they could tell it wasn't a good idea to ask why he was dragging a kid down the hallway to the meeting. Sometimes Zexion caught them staring and they quickly went back to their work although their eyes strayed back always to the strange sight.

After much glaring and murmuring along the hallways Zexion made it to the meeting room. There was a door to get inside although many didn't use it as they could just use the dark realm portal to get inside it was used in special occasions to bring in targets that couldn't be brought in through the portal or something else.

Opening the great heavy white door Zexion stepped inside, still dragging Roxas, and shut the door behind him. It seemed like everyone was already seated and he was on time, as usual. Zexion walked calmly to the foot of the tall chairs that were positioned in a circle in the room. Looking up at The Superior Zexion listened as he spoke.

"What have you brought to the meeting VI?" The Superior spoke to Zexion arms resting firmly on the arm rests of his chair.

Holding Roxas up by his hood Zexion then replied," Axel's target." he looked up at Axel when he said the words studying his face carefully. Axel seemed a bit nervous, but other than that there was nothing there that seemed to show that the member cared of what happened to the target, just as it should be. Setting the target down on the small table-like circle in the middle of the chairs with their symbol on it Zexion transported himself to his chair.

"It seems odd that you were having trouble with this mission VIII." This time it was another person speaking," Usually you complete your missions with almost flawless execution. Answer me this. What is it about this one in particular that makes you fail us, twice none the less?"

Axel stayed quiet for a moment then replied," There isn't anything." The tiny voice in his head condradicted him, _you liar_, Axel told it to shut up and then continued," I ran into some problems along the way, that's all. Some of his little friends came and a three vs. one didn't seem at all too well in my favour and the second was that there were too many to fight at the moment, no time for a distraction." he knew he was lying on the second part, but Saix couldn't tell the difference. _Could he?_ Axel shook away the thought from his mind.

"I see." Was all Saix answered.

It was then The Superior spoke again," That was a very good point VII. Now, since the target has been returned we must move onto more urgent matters of buisness concerning him, but first he must be moved to a more, suitable place." he waved an arm at Demyx. "IX, take him to Axel's room for the time being. I'll send VIII to fill you in when we're done. Remember your orders, and do not let him escape. We may not get a second chance at this and I don't want any screw ups. Understand?"

"Yessir." Demyx answered quickly disappearing to the bottom of the room and taking Roxas out of the room by draping Roxas's arm over his shoulder and leading him outside. When they were outside the door Demyx hissed under his breath," I thought I told you to get out of here. Idiot."

"Sorry." came a voice from Roxas, it had a very tired and cocky tone to it.

Demyx was a little surprised, but opened Axel's door and lead Roxas inside throwing some things off the bed and sitting Roxas down on it. "How long were you awake?" he asked a bit nervously.

"Until just a few seconds ago." Roxas replied drowsily looking around then found that he was back in Axel's room with this strange person from that weird alter-demension place. Jumping up he summoned his keyblades pointing Oathkeeper at Demyx's throat. "Who are you?" he snapped.

"I'm D-demyx." Demyx stuttered fighting to stay calm. "Who're you?" Demyx figured questions to the target would help calm him down at least a little bit.

"Roxas." Roxas replied then lowered his keyblade although kept them ready in case of a fight. "Why am I here? I thought your 'Superior' might've wanted to, 'take care of me' if you catch my drift, already."

"No." Demyx shook his head," That isn't the plan that The Superior has. How do you even know his name?" Demyx was surprised when Roxas had said Superior.

"I managed to hear it from your little buddies when trying to take your advice and get the hell out of this deathtrap." Roxas replied sharply.

"..." Demyx didn't say anything for a moment, but did when Roxas tried to move towards the door," Why did you jump into the dark realm portal after Axel?" The question had been bugging him for awhile and he also needed a way to keep Roxas in the room. Fighting wasn't an option for he knew he'd surely lose the fight and he had to wait for Axel to come back too.

"Why? The fight wasn't over yet and I still needed to get back at that jerk for that stunt he pulled back at the borderline." Roxas clenched his grip tighter around the keyblades just thinking about it.

Demyx nodded. "That _was_ very stupid of him." Roxas threw him a look of confusion which soon changed to amusement then confusion again as if he couldn't pick an expression that he was comfortable with or something.

"Why're you being so nice Demyx? I mean you're a Commander like the others right?" Roxas asked finally letting his keyblades disappear.

"Yeah, I am, but that doesn't mean I can't be nice when I'm doing my job right? I'm nice by nature." Demyx replied finally letting a smile escape him as he felt Roxas smile back with a laugh and him finally warming up to him. That was until Axel walked into the room, that's when things got crazy.

-x-X-x-

Axel watched as Demyx walked the unconscious Roxas out of the room. After the door closed behind Demyx and Roxas Axel felt a little more comfortable than when Zexion had stepped inside the room with Roxas. When he caught Zexion studying his face he did his best to hide the feeling of dread at the conversation that was sure to come although he did nothing to hide his nervousness, it simply wouldn't let him. After Zexion had looked away Axel let out a silent breath and felt eyes watching him. Giving sharp glances around the room he felt Demyx staring at him. 

_Don't tell me this is my fault Demyx. I didn't know he'd come here! How'd he get here anyway?_ As he silently questioned Demyx who'd turned his attention to Zexion again while he, Axel, cursed himself for not being more careful and Saix's questions just made him feel worse. He anticipated that was the goal of the berserker as he spoke again to him once Demyx and Roxas left.

"Axel." Saix started," Does anyone from Destiny Kingdom know Roxas came after you?"

_So they saw, eh? Then he must've jumped in after me, that idiot. I wonder what happened after that? Maybe Demyx knows. _Axel thought before answering," I'm not sure. Probably the other kid that was with 'em. He seemed a bit familiar too."

"Familiar?" Saix asked. "Was he someone you knew before or after?"

Axel raised a thin eyebrow at Saix, he seemed interested in this other person or maybe he was just trying to get him killed. He responded in a shrug," He just looked familiar, I don't know him."

"What did he look like?" The question now came from the Superior.

Axel scoffed," Silver hair, blue eyes, wearing one of our coats like he was one of us." he then added a bit sneakily in his mind, _Is he someone you know Xemnas?_

Xemnas thought a moment and gave a hmm, but then waved the matter away. "From what I've seen we have intruders in the teritory. The discription of this person matches your target's companion a bit except for the clothes. He appears to have changed them, maybe to throw us off or something in case we saw him when the target jumped into the dark portal after Axel." he seemed to be speaking to the whole group that was seated now. "There was also a brown haired boy and a red haired girl. Have you seen them before Axel too?" Axel gave a nod, but was sure this conversation was coming to an end for everyone seated in the room, but he had a sinking feeling that Xemnas would continue the conversation with him, possibly alone or with Saix.

"The orders are as follows. No one is to attack them, yet. We need more information on them first and then we'll plan an attack strategy. Vexen continue with the orders you were assigned at the last meeting. Xaldin, Luxord, Marluxia, Larxene, and Xigbar will scope out our territory once more and gather information on our visitors. Saix, myself, Axel, Zexion, Demyx, Lexaeus, and our newcommer to the castle will stay here and look after things. Axel, your new orders are to look after thirteen although you may ask Demyx and Zexion to help you if you need anything. I expect a full report tomorrow. Dismissed." With that Xemnas disappeared along with Saix following and everyone else afterwards except Axel.

"How the heck did I get myself into this mess?" he breathed a bit before finally disappearing through the portal to show up behind the door in which the meeting had taken place behind. "Dammit." he cursed as he walked to his room. _How am I gonna do this now? The kid wants to kill me and I have to make him stay here? Damn._

Opening the door Axel found his room hadn't changed much except for that Demyx was on the bed that had obviously been cleaned of stuff and onto the floor. Roxas was standing up and laughing at Demyx and Axel stopped at the doorway and listened.

_God. That's so nice to listen to. _He leaned against the doorway a bit, but when he realized what he was thinking he didn't need to have any help to vanquish the thoughts. Someone beat him to it.

"Hey Axel!" Demyx said cheerily making Roxas stop laughing and shoot a death glare in the redhead's direction.

Axel gave a small wave. "So," he started not moving from his position in the doorway," It seems as if I'm stuck with Roxy during the time he has here." he smiled which made Roxas's face change from aggrivated to surprised and even more angry.

"The hell as if I'm staying in here with you." Roxas retorted at Axel.

"Wheather you like it or not this is where you're gonna be. Make yourself comfortable." Axel said shutting the door behind him and taking a seat in one of the two abandoned chairs next to the desk in the room.

"Yeah sure." Roxas said sarcastically," I'm gonna be cooperative and stay here." He walked towards the door. "I'm leaving."

He was interrupted by a flaming chakram as it hit the door right in front of him sticking in front of the door, but not too deep so as to break the door but still enough to give it a dent that would surely be there once the chakram was removed. "No you're not. You can't be leaving home so soon Roxy."

"Excuse me?" Roxas said resuming his glare at Axel. "I'm _going_ home, I'm not home stupid."

"That's what you think." Axel said obviously getting himself worked up over the stresses of his orders and getting caught up in this argument with Roxas. "You really think that you're from Destiny Kingdom?"

The question hit Roxas like a gun pointed at his head. "Of course I do! Do you think you're from Oblivion Kingdom? Hmm?" What Axel said had obviously confused the blond into making him more angry.

Meanwhile Demyx was still sitting on the bed unsure of what to do. Axel was diving into treacherous waters while Roxas looked like he would tear the room apart. Honestly he had no clue of what to do and could only listen as the two bickered even more.

"Heh. You really don't know anything do you?" Axel said leaning back on his chair.

"Then would you care to explain yourself fully?" Roxas said venom seeming to drip from his voice.

That was something Axel didn't see coming. "Explain myself? Fully?" He repeated Roxas's words. Roxas just nodded his harsh cobalt eyes not letting Axel out of their sights. He snickered a bit then when he caught Roxas sigh.

"What's so funny?" Roxas shot at Axel who was still snickering.

"Nah, nevermind. How about a comprimise?" Axel said his devious mind now thinking of something that wouldn't get him shredded badly trying to get Roxas to stay in the room.

"Why should I make a compromise with you?" Roxas said, but then a thought came to his head. _Maybe this is a good oportunity to check this place out. Get some information on this place and then when the others come...they will come right? Of course they will! Riku saw you jump into that black portal thing didn't he? You'll just have to trust him!_ It was then Roxas decided and then added," What is it though? I might as well just hear you out."

Axel was surprised that Roxas would listen to him and smiled. "Really? What's the change in heart?"

_Is it really worth information to put up with this bastard? _Roxas thought then shook the thought, he'd have to or at least for now put up with the idiot. "Shut up. At least I'm _trying_ to come up with options if it seems I can't get out of this stupid place until I come up with a better plan."

"Hmm. Well if you put it that way." Axel put his head in the palm of his hand as his elbow rested atop the desk. "Here's the compromise. If you stay here at the castle and cooperate just for now I'll let you leave if you want to in two weeks." He held up two fingers when he said the number with his other hand leaving a shocked Demyx and Roxas on the other side of the room.

"But Axel-" Demyx was cut off by Roxas.

"Agreed." Roxas said picking up a somewhat heavy book from the floor and dusting it off. "Two weeks. Do you ever clean up in here?"

Axel widened his eyes at Roxas's agreement. "Then we have a deal. Don't worry Demyx I'll sort out everything later." he shook his hand at the worrying dirty haired blond who had stood up and was now standing by the bookcase.

"But-" Demyx was cut off again, but this time it was his own doing as Roxas threw the book at Axel's head.

"Hey, I'm still here you know and just cause I'm here doesn't mean I have to like it or make it any easier on you." he said with a triumphant smile at Axel who was on the floor now rubbing his head from the heavy book.

"Okay, I got it, I got it!" Axel said feeling the pain in his head bringing on another headache. "By why that book? God."

"Because it seemed like it'd do the trick and I also needed to get a little revenge for that stunt you pulled." Roxas said before dusting himself off a bit.

"Uh why don't we go get something to eat?" Demyx said trying to lighten the heavy dark mood that seemed to have fallen into the room yet again.

"I'll be here." Axel said from the floor slowly getting up.

"I guess I'll have to go with you Demyx. Seeing as I definitely do _not _want to be in this room with him around." Roxas growled before opening the door and shutting it behind him.

"You think he's still mad at me?" Axel joked a bit.

"This is what you get for being an idiot Axel. Anyways, you want something from the food hall? I'd be happy to get you something."

"Nah, I'll be fine. Just go and keep Roxas situated alright? I'll take over tomorrow." Axel said with a smile before dusting himself off and going over to dust the rest of the books off the bed.

"Well if you're sure..." Demyx said and left the room shutting the door behind him. He looked at Roxas who was confusedly staring down the hallway. "What?" Demyx asked at seeing the confused look.

"Are all the walls white?" he asked pointing down the hallway.

"Yeah. Why d'you ask?" Demyx said, usually people didn't comment about the wall color before, but just accepted that it was that color nobody seemed to ask why.

"Seems kinda boring seeing the same thing everywhere you go. I mean in Axel's room it was a different color. Is yours?" Roxas asked he was initially curious.

"Y-yes its blue." Demyx stammered a bit then said quickly," Lets get down to the food hall now." He then started to walk down the hallway seeing Roxas shrug as a response before following the dirty blond down the hallway.

Soon they were in the food hall in which Demyx had grabbed some food for each of them sitting across the table in which Roxas had sat down in. "Thanks," Roxas said accepting the food from Demyx and then after a minute or so of silence asked," What is Axel's problem?"

Demyx looked up from his food and ignoring the glances the other people in the room were giving them replied quietly," Axel doesn't have a problem. He, well he's different when it comes to getting his point across at times. I kinda made it tougher on him by snapping at him for well you know the-" he was cut off by Roxas, that seemed to be happening a lot lately.

"No need to bring up that again. Its been settled as long as I'm concerned. Is Axel always like this though?" Roxas wanted to know what he was actually getting himself into by staying in the castle for two weeks.

"Axel? No not all the time. He can actually be very patient sometimes, but he's the type of person who you can't really describe. You have to be with him for a day or so to actually get him if he lets you that is." Demyx laughed a bit, he'd known Axel quite awhile and still thought he didn't know much about his fiery friend.

"Hmm." Was all Roxas answered as he started to finish up his food while Demyx followed in suit. The rest of the time they were eating was in silence and the same as they were back in the hallway. All of a sudden Roxas asked," Hey Demyx. Do you know where I could find some ice?"

"Ice? Sure, but why?" Demyx asked with a confused look at the teen.

"I'm just feeling a bit sore from the fight before and from that knock to the head." Roxas said stopping as Demyx did.

"Oh. Sure then. I'll be right back then." Demyx said disappearing for a few seconds only to come back with a bag of ice and some on his hair.

"Do I want to know?" Roxas asked the now frosty haired Demyx who responded with a sigh, today just wasn't his day.

"Vexen threw some of his ice at me when I accidentally bumped into some experiment he was doing." Demyx sighed and handed Roxas the ice and pointed to the door that was across the hall from Axel's with the letters X-I-I-I printed on it. "There's your room. As for me I think I'm going to go lie down." Demyx then walked down the hall and opened his room's door and disappeared inside flopping down on the bed falling asleep in the seconds that followed soon after.

Roxas turned to his room, but then thought to himself about today's earlier events. _Maybe I was a little too harsh on Axel._ Walking over to the door he took a deep breath before knocking a few times on the door.

After a few seconds Axel's voice came from inside the room," Come in." Obviously he was tired as Roxas could definitely hear it in his voice.

Walking inside Roxas saw Axel on the bed with a pillow over his face. Raising a silent eyebrow he said nothing as he walked over to the bedside. "Demyx?"

"Nope. You'd know it wasn't Demyx if you didn't have that stupid pillow in front of your face." Roxas remarked before pulling off the pillow and setting the ice on Axel's head where there was an obvious bump there from the book that Roxas had thrown. Taking a few steps back he started to exit the room, but was stopped by Axel.

"Thanks Roxy." Axel said sitting up a bit with a smile.

"Its Roxas." Roxas said irritatedly," And you're welcome. Sorry for exploding like that. Anyways I guess I'll see you tomorrow." With a nod Roxas stepped out of Axel's room and into his own. Looking around he cocked an eyebrow, but sighed and decided to get some sleep since tomorrow was sure to be the strangest day of his life.

Back in Axel's room the redhead was still smiling and he layed back down on the bed and went to sleep thinking to himself.

_These two weeks are going to be very interesting._

-x-X-x-

Author's Note

Kiesha: Well I decided to use this chapter to the events after Roxas jumped in after Axel also throwing in a little moment there. I apologize for making Roxas hate Axel so much, but I can promise things will get better between the two. As for the Sora, Kairi and Riku stuff that will come in the next chapter. 'Till the next chapter then. 


	10. At the stroke of midnight

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and its wuvable characters do not belong to me sadly. ...what? I'm too tired to come up with a snarky remark today and now I know I hate U-S Airways. Well, at least for right now. -grumbles to self about not getting a seat on the plane with my sister while my parents and grandparents got some and how a whole mess of things are going wrong-

Pairings: AkuRoku, SoraKairiRiku, and...a little one-sided Namixas (Yes, adding a new pairing. I like Namine quite a bit, she's cool and stuffs. )

Side Note: Holy hearts! Almost ten chapters! I'm also going to write Namine in more. I really like typing about her. Also this chapter will focus on what Sora, Riku, and Kairi are doing along with -drum roll- Namine! Enjoy!

Chapter 9

At the stroke of midnight

Sora, Riku, and Kairi had decided to rest the horses in a small rocky area near a river. They were sitting on the rocks now and eating some food that they'd taken from the Destiny Kingdom kitchen. Sora was getting anxious now and wanted to settle the question of how Riku met the King.

"So Riku. You said you were going to tell us the story and we have some time to spend." Sora made a motion with his hand for Riku to start.

"Fine, fine. I guess you guys do deserve an explination after all." Riku said with a chuckle at Sora's impatience and started the story.

As Riku told the story Sora felt that even though it was from Riku's point of view he felt the story unfolding right in front of him and this is how it went over in Sora's mind.

_Thunderclouds seemed to storm constantly in the dark city which was lit up with flourescent lights that seemed a bit alien to the other parts of the world. Strange enough was that the once bustling city was now deserted. Now Riku had been to this particular city many times before and never knew it to be so desolate and depressing. The rain then started its decent making Riku decide to find shelter in the city's upper district, near the castle that seemed to hang ominously above the depressing city._

_"What happened?" Riku asked to no one in particular._

_"I don't know." came a voice from behind him._

_"Huh?! Who's there? Show yourself!" Riku shouted summoning Way to Dawn in his hand pointed at the shadows._

_"A friend. No need for alarm. My name is Mickey." It was then that King Mickey stepped out from the shadows and underneath the same overhang that Riku was taking shelter in from the rain._

_"Riku." the silver haired boy said giving his name in which Mickey nodded. "What are you doing in a place like this Mickey?"_

_"I should be asking the same of you." Mickey said with a chuckle then answered the boy," I've come to negotiate with DiZ."_

_"The new King of Oblivion Kingdom?" Riku asked, he was surprised. Why would Mickey be negotiating with the Oblivion Kingdom's King? Unless..._

_"Yes, I'm Destiny Kingdom's King." Mickey replied to Riku and added," Things are going bad. I don't want anymore fighting and this has been going on pointlessly for more years than we can record. I don't want anymore bloodshed on either side."_

_Riku nodded then hastily added," I'm sorry Your Majesty, but I think that from what I've seen that DiZ doesn't want to negotiate with anyone."_

_Mickey scowled a bit at the 'your majesty'. "You don't have to call me 'Your Majesty', Mickey is just fine or if you must use a title please use something else. I mean we are friends now, aren't we? And what exactly do you mean about 'what I've seen'?"_

_Riku smiled, he was starting to like this guy, king or not. "Yeah I guess we are friends now. As for "what I've seen" apparently you weren't too informed by your spies or whatever you have that they've been even more tempermental towards your kingdom than ever."_

_"I take it you're not of either Kingdom are you Riku. Loner perhaps? Or one who travels with one of those caravans?" Mickey said hoping to learn a little bit about his newfound friend._

_Riku nodded, but said nothing else after that, but something to change the subject. "But, if you have to speak with DiZ-" he was cut off._

_"I must." Mickey said firmly then gave a quick apology to Riku as he continued._

_"Then I'll accompany you to the castle then. Just in case anything happens, y'know? I don't want a friend of mine to lie dead in the streets when there could've been a chance to help them." Riku said as he noticed the rain lightening up a bit._

_"You make it sound as if I have no chance at all." Mickey said sourly before stepping out from underneath the overhang. "If you want to accompany me then lets go." he was very happy to have at least one friend in this dark and desolate place._

_As the two walked side-by-side through the rest of the upper district to a place called The Brink of Despair which was a sort of alleyway that lead up towards the castle Mickey was a little suspicious how Riku knew his way around._

_"I've been here a few times before." Riku said as if he'd been reading Mickey's mind. "When I was little that is. What about you? You seem to have the look on your face like you know this place or something."_

_"I do. I came here once before on some spy buisness believe it or not." Mickey explained to Riku," Back when I was a soldier for Destiny Kingdom, or before I became King of it is probably better words." he chuckled a bit. "It was much more..."_

_"Busy." Riku finished and the King nodded. The two walked then to the edge of an overhang which made way for a great bridge although it was damaged on top a bit and around the steps as if it hadn't been used often. "Well, this is it." Riku said going up the steps with Mickey behind him._

_As they crossed the bridge the chasm that the bridge went over seemed a bit ominous as if it could swallow anyone who ventured down there or took a tumble off the bridge. What gave Mickey the shivers at least was the castle itself. Pure white stone, and with a strange symbol different from the Kingdom's old symbol was now etched into the stonework like a mark to show that the castle was under new management. _

_"Kinda ominous huh?" Mickey commented as they made their way to the gate calling to the guards who were suppose to be on the other side. In the end only one guard answered and opened the gates. Said guard was suprised to see the King of Destiny Kingdom there and a stranger that he almost collapsed in fear at for Riku was a dark sight to see with his keyblade in hand which came without a proper calling from its weilder._

_"We've come to ask for an audience with your King," Riku explained formally to the frightened guard who had forgotten to ask why they were there._

_"Um...o-o-okay, w-wait h-here," the guard stammered out before dashing back inside the castle without another word._

_"Only one guard posted? Why the Destiny Kingdom army could prance in here and practically take this stronghold without a second thought!" Riku said scoffing at the poor placement of guards._

_"But we're not here to fight Riku, we're here to talk." Mickey pointed out as the guard returned._

_"K-king DiZ will have an audience with y-you." the guard answered. "F-follow m-me."_

_They left at a very quick pace and the guard didn't relax until Riku made his keyblade disappear. As they walked down the whitewashed halls Riku couldn't help but notice something strange. _

_Ever since they had come from the gate he'd only seen three people, not counting the guard of course. It had been two other guards and a girl who from the looks of it worked in the kitchen._

_"H-here we are." the guard said then pausing a second opened a heavy door to reveal DiZ seated at one end of a short table with a silver haired man standing next to him in a dark black cloak._

_As Riku and Mickey stepped inside DiZ motioned for them to take a seat while the guard quickly left the room. Riku and King Mickey hastily sat down as Riku looked around the room. It appeared there was only himself, Mickey, the dark clothed man, DiZ, and- Wait, who is that? Riku thought to himself. There was another man standing on the other side of DiZ. Why hadn't he noticed him there before? His thoughts were interrupted as DiZ started to speak to them._

_"So King Mickey of Destiny Kingdom, what did you call an audience with me, of all people, for?" Riku could tell there was arrogance in his voice as he spoke._

_"A peace treaty." Mickey said unnerved by DiZ's attitude._

_"Peace treaty?" DiZ started to laugh uncontrollably at that. "You're pulling my leg here."_

_"No I'm serious. I don't want anymore fighting. Its pointless!" Riku was surprised at the volume in Mickey's voice, especially the last statement._

_DiZ's chuckles were fading and he finally then said," No deal. You may have forgotten why we're fighting King of Destiny Kingdom, but we haven't. I've gone under research on the subject even, to try and understand our goal much, much more."_

_"Research?" Mickey questioned," Have you forgotten the last time someone tried to tamper with Kingdom Hearts?"_

_Riku shivered silently at that mentioning. A few years back there had been someone, who weilded a keyblade, had wanted to fully understand the existence of Kingdom Hearts and how to fully use its power for his own uses which brought a disaster upon both Kingdoms leaving their war aside for a year or two. Riku had been two years old when it had happened. The foolish man had caused Kingdom Hearts to disappear from the skies and cause a huge monster to appear in which could only be described as enormous, all black in color, and vicious. It would destroy anyone or anything in its path searching for something, at least that's what some thought. Others thought that the monster was just going on a rampage and destroying everything because the man commanded it to, in an attempt to take over the world or something._

_Riku did not know what he thought on the matter and didn't want to take the time to. The monster was defeated by the warriors of the keyblade from both Kingdoms although it killed the man who had brought it forth and killed off all of the keyblade weilders on the Oblivion Kingdom side and almost on the Destiny Kingdom side. It was a frequently told story in Destiny Kingdom and on the roads warning anyone who had ambitions for Kingdom Hearts and to try and support the fact to end the pointless war that the Oblivion Kingdom seemed to have over it._

_"Of course I do," DiZ answered King Mickey," But I'm not that fool who went to Kingdom Hearts itself. I'm talking about the stuff that makes up Kingdom Hearts. I intend to bring it back and use it to teach you and your cowardly kingdom a lesson you won't soon forget!"_

_Mickey was speechless. " DiZ. If you go tampering with Kingdom Hearts more not only will you bring more suffering, but you'll end up destroying the thing you want most and dooming us all to something that I'm sure is horrible to go through. Please stop your research and end this pointless war with me. Please!"_

_"Why should I when I've come so far? Just to end this all now? Pfft. You're blind King Mickey, if you can't see that my research will bring forth great opportunities! Sure there were a few little mistakes with some horrible consequences, but I will make them right when my research is done." DiZ said proudly and Mickey was at a loss for words._

_When the dark clothed man saw that Mickey had no more to say he then added," I think you should leave now."_

_"But-!" Mickey was cut off by DiZ._

_"That's enough. I want you out of my castle now, dead or alive is how good your efforts are." DiZ said before motioning to the other man who also had silver hair to his right. "Ansem. Take care of these pests with the Heartless. Myself and Xemnas will retire to a more suitable place to speak on the foolish King's words." He got up and the other silver haired man called Xemnas followed him out of the room._

_Ansem smiled then at Mickey and Riku who had hurriedly gotten out of their seats, keyblades poised at the ready. "Enough with the small talk. Its time you surrendered your hearts to the darkness!" Snapping his fingers Ansem made at least fifteen small black things appear. Maybe this is what DiZ had meant by "Heartless". Ansem pointed at them and then with a malicious smile said," Take their hearts and send them back to the darkness where they belong!"_

_The shadowy Heartless then quickly dashed at Riku and the King jumping with their claws extended. Riku lashed out at a Heartless feeling satisfied when the keyblade cut through it and then confused as a bright shiny thing shaped like a...heart? came out of it then disappeared as it was covered in shadows. The same happened to all the other Heartless as Riku and the King finished them off. Now all that was left was Ansem himself who had joined in the fight._

_"Lets finish him off together Riku." Mickey said as Riku nodded and both charged the oncoming Ansem. Only a few blows were exchanged before a huge shadowy creature came replacing Ansem's shadow. Taking a few steps back Riku was a bit terrified by it honestly. It was also during that confusing time for Riku that Ansem shot forwards to grab Mickey in which he succeeded._

_"Mickey!" Riku shouted before attacking Ansem who was about to drive a spear into Mickey. Throwing Way to Dawn at Ansem it smacked the spear out of Ansem's hand which surprised him a second dropping the King and lashing out with his freehand now grabbing Riku at the point where his shoulder connected to his neck. He applied pressure to it which made Riku wince in pain and let out a muffled cry before summoning Way to Dawn to his hand from the floor, which it had fallen to after it had been thrown at Ansem._

_"You're one of a kind, the darkness lives in your heart and feeds on your rage. You'd make a worthy soldier to the darkness." Ansem said with a smile tightening his grip as his arm started to glow a black-purple color, but was interrupted as Way to Dawn carved into Ansem's chest. Both Ansem and Riku fell to the floor and King Mickey went over to Riku who held his shoulder._

_"Are you okay?" Mickey asked trying to get a look at Riku's shoulder, but Riku was stubborn and wouldn't let him saying it was fine._

_Finally Riku gave in to Mickey's proddings. "See? Its fine." he pointed to his shoulder which appeared to be a bit bruised, but none the less alright._

_Ansem was on the floor still almost unmoving. He appeared to be dead, but Riku wasn't so sure. Getting up he and Mickey looked at their fallen enemy and when they caught sight of Ansem's tawny golden eyes they backed up a pace. Ansem then started to get up with Way to Dawn still in his chest and it was at that point that flickers of what Riku perceived to be shadows were coming off Ansem's body and making him 'disappear into the darkness' as King Mickey would describe it to Riku later. "I'll be back! I swear it for all to hear, I'll be back to take my vengeance on you Riku, and you Mickey. All of you out there! Kingdom Hearts will be mine!" With his speech finally spoken the man finally was consumed by the shadows as if he were one._

_"You think he'll really be back?" Riku asked Mickey who shrugged._

_"I don't know. I hope not though. That guy seemed pretty capable of taking out some of my more experienced soldiers with ease. It was only that one off-guard chance that we got that finished him. We were lucky." Mickey said to Riku who was still holding his shoulder._

_Just as Riku and Mickey thought they could get out of the castle more of the Heartless appeared in which Mickey disposed of. Seeing as Riku was growing more tired Mickey took over destroying the foul Heartless till they got to the bridge. As they fought their way across it became apparent that DiZ did not care what happened to them anymore. He didn't care if they lived or died, but merely assumed that if they lived he'll kill them later if they got in his way._

_Soon they were outside the castle and on the grassy terrain of plainland. "Thanks." Riku said to King Mickey who nodded._

_"No problem. It was for a friend." he smiled at Riku who frowned. "What is it?" Mickey's expression changed to worrysome now._

_"This is where we part I guess. So its goodbye now." Riku said," You need to go back to your Kingdom while I...well roaming is my thing y'know? I don't think I could ever settle myself in a Kingdom after, well that's just-" his rambling was cut off._

_"I understand. Its your own memory and its not goodbye. If we say goodbye it means we won't see each other again. So lets not say goodbye, but I'll be back sometime in the future." Mickey said extending a hand for Riku to take. "If we promise and shake on it then it surely will come true."_

_Riku smiled and nodded taking Mickey's hand and shaking it. "Call on me if you need anything, and don't be hesitant. No matter what I'll be there for you my friend. Even if it means storming the Oblivion Kingdom and destroying more of those monster things, what were they called? Heartless? Yeah."_

_"If its what you want then I won't be shy. 'Till next time then Riku?" Mickey asked as they broke their handshake._

_" 'Till next time Mickey." Riku said before giving a wave knowing that the King could easily make his way back home safely on his own without Riku's assistance so Riku thought it would be best to just bow out._

_Mickey then waved back at his friend and smiled before going his seperate way towards the Destiny Kingdom borderline and his home._

As Riku finished the story Sora and Kairi were spellbound. "That was a great story Riku." Kairi said with a smile before yawning.

"Yeah Riku!" Sora said, he'd liked the story quite a bit actually. "Looks like someone's tired." Sora said poking Kairi's arm in a joking manner.

"Am not!" she protested then smirked with pleasure as Sora's laughter changed into the form of a yawn. "Look who's talking Mr. Big Shot." she poked her own fun at Sora now while Riku added his own laughter to the bunch.

"I guess we're all a bit tired." Riku said yawning himself and laying flat on his back before grabbing one of the saddlebags in which they'd removed from the horses for a makeshift pillow. "Lets get some sleep and continue in the morning."

"That's a good plan." Kairi said with a nod," I'll take first watch then." she concluded clapping her hands together and moving to sit on a rock where she could easily see the horses and the campsite along with a bit of ground around it all.

"Are you sure Kairi?" Sora asked," 'Cause if you're tired then I can take the first watch for you."

"Nope." she replied stubbornly," I'll go to sleep once you or Riku take over the second watch of the night."

Sora seemed unsure of the answer, but finally gave in and got himself situated into his hastily made makeshift bed that was actually just a mat with a blanket and one of the saddlebags for a pillow. "G'night Kai, Riku."

"Goodnight Sora." Kairi answered him. "Goodnight Riku."

"Lets just go to sleep already." Riku answered grumpily. "Goodnight and whatever."

Sora chuckled at Riku's grumpiness before closing his eyes to try and get some rest until it was time for his shift.

For at least an hour Sora just couldn't fall asleep. Maybe it was being in their sworn enemies' territory or maybe it was just the reality of it that was getting to him. Sitting up he sighed and looked over at the rock where Kairi was sitting.

Sora then found her staring at him and he looked down a bit then said," You okay?"

"Yeah." she answered then walked over to him," Can't sleep?"

"Yeah," he breathed out slowly sitting up and scratching the back of his head. "Maybe its the nerves getting to me." Kairi then laughed unexpectedly that Sora was taken by surprise. "What's so funny?" he asked tilting his head to one side in confusion.

"Oh Sora." Kairi managed to get out," Usually the nerves _never_ get you! Out on the battlefield that is, and here you are in a battlefield-like place! It just seemed a bit funny since you and Roxas are usually so calm."

Sora chuckled a bit himself before saying," Yeah, that is sort of funny."

After the two were done laughing they just sat there for a moment or two looking up at the moon. "Sure is pretty." Kairi all of a sudden said closing her eyes a bit.

"What is?" Sora asked looking at her.

"The moon silly!" Kairi said with a smile.

"It sure is." Sora agreed quickly then added," Aren't you afraid?"

"Afraid? Of what?" Kairi asked unsure of where Sora was getting at.

"Of being here and stuff." Sora said," I mean, if you had wanted to, you could've stayed behind with Namine and the King."

"And abandon Roxas and get left behind? Not on your life Sora!" Kairi said fiercely before adding," Besides, I'm not afraid of being here."

"You're not? Not even a little bit?" Sora asked, surely Kairi felt a little fear. Right?

She shook her head. "Nope. 'Cause you're here. That's why." She smiled and felt her cheeks heat up and turned away.

Sora smiled and then finally after a minute said," Then I won't disappoint you Kairi. If you're ever in trouble I'll come to help you out. Its a promise!" With his promise made he then gave Kairi a hug from behind in which Kairi gave a note of surprise before hugging back.

"I'll hold you to that promise you know Sora!" she said breaking up the friendly hug with a smile.

"I know you will. If you didn't I'd have to ask who was in front of me and what they did with my friend Kairi." Sora joked and Kairi chuckled a bit before yawning. "Here, why don't you get some rest? I'll take the next shift."

"Thanks Sora. I'll do that. Goodnight." Kairi said before kissing him lightly on the cheek and whispering," Thanks for everything Sora." She then got up from her sitting position and went over to her sleeping mat, blanket and makeshift pillow leaving a stunned Sora still sitting on the rock. Getting comfortable she finally fell asleep and leaving Sora to think on her actions throughout the rest of his shift. Although while she slept she couldn't help, but feel that her dreams were turning from good to bad and quickly.

-x-X-x-

Meanwhile back at the castle there was another person who's sleep was being troubled, but for another reason.

Namine had not been doing much during the time in which she'd heard of her three friends and a newcommer going on a reconassance mission or something in enemy territory. She was bent over with worry, even more so for Roxas than the others. It was true that she might be overreacting just a little bit, but then again her drawings were becoming stranger and stranger as she tried to interpret them.

Sitting up in her bed Namine grabbed the sketchbook that was on her nightstand next to the bed. Flipping through the old drawings she noted each one as they passed by. The one where it showed Sora, Roxas, and Kairi sitting in the garden eating ice cream until Roxas "accidentally" got some in Sora's hair. Another one with Sora and the King's friend Riku in the garden with the moon shining down. Then there was the one with Roxas fighting Axel and getting hurt. Those were the old drawings and now Namine finally got to the first new drawing since Axel fought Roxas and won.

The first new drawing had been confusing her a bit lately. It showed Roxas, but...he was in one of the Commander's dark black coats with Axel and a dirty blond haired man Namine had never seen before.

The second had been one of Sora, Kairi and Riku near a silvery river although to the fact of why Roxas wasn't there had been confusing her a bit until she came up with a possible explination. Maybe Roxas had been kidnapped or something, but then it came to another factor in which stated 'Why would the Commanders want Roxas in the first place?'.

The last new drawing was the most puzzling of all. It showed a person Namine had never seen before although there was a lady in the picture in which Namine had tried to picture as someone she knew, but nothing came to her. In the picture it showed the man giving the lady a basket and from the man's face Namine could tell it was one of desprateness. Also because the lady had her hand on the basket and the position of her shoulder it was visible that she was accepting whatever was in the basket.

As she puzzled over her puzzling drawings she finally had enough. None of this was making any sense at all and she was sick of seeing things and knowing they'd come true, but only to think again that she had no understanding of the matter at all. "This is so frustrating, why do I even have this power anyway? I'm not special or anything." she said sighing with tiredness and frustration combined.

It was then she decided to get some sleep for tomorrow was going to be a long day as usual. She drifted off quickly and it was one strange hell of a dream she had.

First she thought she was floating since there were clouds everywhere, but before she could enjoy the fluffiness of them lightning crackled and she finally realized that these weren't white fluffy clouds, but angry vicious thunderclouds.

It was then she felt herself falling till she hit the ground with a loud _thump! _Getting up Namine rubbed her shaken head and looked around. She was in a city, that she knew, but not one that she'd ever seen before in her life.

"Hello? Anyone there?" she called out and then felt something fall onto her. Holding out her hand she found that a few rain drops had splashed into her hand. Looking around she finally caught some form of shelter, a castle.

She was just outside it and could easily see a way inside which was a broken down old bridge that looked like it would collapse if she stepped on it. Hastily Namine looked down the bridge as the rain started to fall faster as she had spotted someone.

Someone in a dark black coat was making their way down the bridge and very quickly by the looks of it. "Excuse me!" she called towards the figure not reconignizing it as a Commander.

The Commander didn't even notice her as he headed straight for Namine without a glance. Defensively she put up her hands waiting for the man to knock into her, but to her surprise she merely phased through the Commander. "What the...?" Namine managed to say as she looked behind her to see the Commander walk into the dark city.

"Wait!" she called, but to no avail since the figure had already left earshot. Turning back to the castle she decided that if it really was unstable she'd run across and make it that way. Slowly she stepped onto the bridge and found it surprisingly sturdy. Picking up the pace Namine finally came to the gate and rested a hand on the heavy gate. Surprise was once again on her face as her hand phased through it causing her to stumble through the door and through the one leading to the hallways of the castle before falling down.

"This is too weird." she said picking herself up and walking down the hallway confused as she looked at the doors that passed her which had letters on them, but they were there to represent numbers. Namine read them off carefully and slowly as she walked by them," Two, four, six, nine, ten, eight, thirteen..." she broke off when she got to the door with the letters X-I-I-I printed on them, someone was coming out.

Namine immediately pressed herself to one of the white walls in fear looking downwards at the floor as she caught sight of black boots and right away she knew they belonged to a Commander. Forcing herself to look up her eyes widened in shock and she sputtered out," R-Roxas! What are you doing here? What are you wearing? Roxas? Roxas answer me!" she was now yelling at the blond who wasn't giving any recognition to Namine.

Namine could only watch as Roxas looked once down one end of the hallway and then the next before walking to a room that was labeled V-I-I-I or 8. "Roxas..." she tried, but he walked right through her when she tried to stop him. Roxas without a glance opened the door and walked inside shutting the door quickly behind him. Namine had a bad feeling creeping up her spine uncomfortably and dashed through the door to find Roxas there with Axel, she reconignized him from her drawing of Roxas's fight with him. She could now hear Roxas and Axel speaking to each other.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Roxas said crossing his arms, he was apparently very unhappy.

"There was no need. Besides, after I told you about the Nobodies I thought it would be easy to pick it out that I was one." Axel responded from his place in a chair near his desk unmoved by Roxas's anger.

"Ugh, you're too confusing to figure out Axel! From all the time I've spent here I first think I start to understand you and then you go off and do something to leave me in the dark again." Roxas said heatedly," I don't even know why I bothered."

"Bothered with what?" Axel said standing up now.

"To try to ever be your friend. You keep pushing me away." Roxas said turning his back on Axel now," I'll keep my promise to you, but don't expect anything else."

Axel then came up behind Roxas and gave him a hug from behind pinning Roxas's arms to his sides. Roxas struggled a bit in the grasp until Axel said," I'm sorry Rox. Things are getting even more complicated around here, concerning you and other things. I don't want you to leave and I'm sorry for being such an ass of a friend."

Roxas had stopped struggling then said," Well, I guess it was to be expected since you really are an ass."

"Now there's the Roxy we all know and love," Axel said with a smile.

"Yeah, yeah. Now what did I say about the Roxy thing? And get the hell off me already." Roxas said temper coming back.

"Aw, but I don't want to." Axel said teasingly until Roxas elbowed him in the stomach causing him to let go and back off laughing a bit to ease off the pain of the blow.

"Really now?" Roxas said back with his own teasings. "Well its still late out, but I think I'll go out for a walk. You want to come?"

"Sure Roxie." Axel said gaining himself another hard look before laughing and walking out the door first. Roxas rolled his eyes before walking out after Axel.

Namine was left in the room even more confused than ever. " Nobodies? Roxas and Axel? But I thought Roxas hated Axel..." she rubbed her temples even more confused than ever. All of a sudden it hurt so much that she just collapsed onto the ground.

Finally finding the pressure on her head going away she opened her sky blue eyes and found herself sitting upright in her bed with her sketchbook in front of her and her mirror from her desk facing her. Looking at the mirror she saw horror plastered on her face and then looked quickly to the drawing which showed Axel and Roxas, sitting on a strange clock tower with ice cream.

"What is wrong with me?" she pleadingly said to no one in particular before looking at the clock that was in her room. The hands had just struck together and she then thought that it had been only five minutes before that when she'd first gone to sleep before the nightmare.

_The stroke of midnight, why does it feel so ominious all of a sudden?_ she wondered before feeling herself drift yet again.

-x-X-x-

Author's Note

Kiesha: Welp it seems Ch. 9 is veeeeeeeery long. I have school nuuuuuu! That means I'll be delayed yet again for typing! I also do have that ILA project due. Anyways, if you have suggestions for the fic or pairings you'd like to see come up drop me a review! That is all.


	11. Underneath the Twilight

Disclaimer: What would I do if I owned Kingdom Hearts? Well firstly I'd figure out some way to keep Roxas in the game very often. Still trying to figure out for Axel though. Poor Axey. TAT

Pairings: AkuRoku(dur), Soku, Sokai, NamiDem, and one-sided (goodness) Namixas. Also minor hints of Zemyx.

Side Note: Hi. -pets toaster- I just wasted five seconds of your life. Six. Yay! Onto the fic! -munches on random popcorn- Yay, double digits! Reviewers are loved and shall be showered with... um... Sea-salt ice cream! -licks some- A big thank you to Scorch406, DorkFace, Zheyne and anyone on DA who is commenting on this there for the review, alerts, comments and fav's. Love ya! Also I'm debating wheather to upload a new fic about the stuffs that happened after KHII. It goes off the saying 'Axel's not dead he's on vacation'. In my mind it goes like this 'Axel's not dead he's trapped in an alter-demension world being tortured by his memories, still is a Nobody though, with almost all of Organization XIII who frankly want him gone since he did betray and kill some of them after all.' Depressing, no? Curious to hear thoughts on it if you choose to voice an opinion. Enough of my rambling, to the fic, awayyyyyy!

Chapter 10

Underneath the Twilight

"Rox, Roxas. Wake up." The voice, Roxas was too drowsy too sleepy to tell who it was, all Roxas knew was that it was annoying.

Being the cranky un-morning person Roxas was he muttered a 'no' then turned over in his bed.

"Aw, c'mon. How about I give sleeping beauty a good morning kiss?" Pestered the annoying voice.

Roxas's eyes snapped open and he kicked at the person who was stooping over him causing him to fall out of the bed headfirst.

"You okay Roxie?" The annoying voice again, finally Roxas came to realize was Axel.

"How am I suppose to be "okay" when a _stalker_ is trying..." he broke off the argument and got up rubbing his forehead. Another headache was sure to come quickly as it always did when the pyro was around and the thing was, he'd only spent one night in the fricking castle!

"Don't be mad Roxy." Axel said with a little laugh before ducking as a pillow that had been knocked off the bed was thrown at his head. "You'll need better aim than that. I think I'm gaining a sixth sense for detecting the random objects you throw at my head."

Did he always have to say such stupid things? Roxas loathed before standing and sighing before throwing the knocked off blanket back onto the bed. "What're you doing in my room anyways?" Roxas asked tiredly, he wasn't in the mood at _all_ for being near or around Axel and his stupid comments.

"You're coming with me on a mission!" he said with a smile as if someone'd just made his day, which in this case, yes. Someone did, and in the process made Roxas's day hell. Oh joy. I'm sure you can hear the sarcasm practically dripping off the words right?

"You? No way, nuh uh." Roxas said shaking his head," I've had enough of you for today. Out." he pointed at the door.

"Oh, but its an order Roxas and you promised to be good!" Axel added persistantly," So you're coming! I'll wait for you in the food hall, okay?" Without waiting for his answer Axel exited the room with a smile on his face.

"Promises suck." Roxas snarled as he heard the outside door close and screamed at the top of his lungs before collapsing onto the bed again. Oh how he'd like to just go back to sleep, but with that pervert around the premesis it would be safe to just go to the food hall after getting dressed and stuff in which he did.

Screaming had felt good as it released all the stress build-up that had been happening lately, but when he walked into the food hall he wished he could do so again. _That would make a scene, you don't want that._ he thought to himself forcing his mind to obey him, he just barely made it listen.

After getting his breakfast Roxas walked over to a table where Axel and Demyx were seated with, oh god. It was the 'Number II' guy and the silver-haired emo-thing that had knocked him out. Swallowing his distaste he sighed before sitting down on one side of Demyx who was across the table from Axel.

_Better to be near Demyx. That way Axel can't pull anything on me yet. This is going to be a long week and six days. _Roxas thought and started to eat. Yes he was keeping track of the days, anything to get his mind off the looks the II guy was throwing at him.

"Roxas I don't think I've introduced you to everyone yet." Axel said then turned to Number II," This is Xigbar and the dude with the bad attitude is Zexion."

"Quiet Axel. Nobody wants to listen to your bad jokes and comments." Roxas knew that he like this guy already, minus the knocking him unconscious bit of course.

"Lighten up Zex." Axel said waving a hand in his direction absently. "I at least want a little fun before trying for this dude." he pointed at Roxas who shot him a death glare.

Demyx stared at the others around the table and sighed before asking," Where're you guys going for your mission?"

"A place called Twilight Town." Axel replied and Roxas raised an eyebrow, he'd heard of Twilight Town, but wasn't it in Destiny Kingdom Territory?

"Cool! I'm going to Atlantica, I can't wait! The ocean! Isn't that just awesome? I mean the fish and stuff, too cool!" And the Demyx ramble continued leaving Axel a bit bored although Roxas was having his own thoughts through it.

_Why're we going to a place in Destiny Kingdom Territory? Won't we be attacked? What if someone sees me none the less!_ Roxas started to panic a bit then interrupted Axel," Uh Axel? Why're we going to Twilght Town? Isn't that in the other territory?"

Axel snapped back to life and answered him," For the mission silly and yeah it is. Surely you're not that stupid Roxy."

Roxas shot Axel another death glare and replied hotly," No I'm not, you on the other had very much are and if you wish to keep everything inside your body intact I suggest you never say the word Roxy again."

Axel blinked once or twice probably knowing that Roxas would carry out the threat too. "I'm just joking you know." he said shrugging a bit before throwing out the remains of his food along with Roxas. "Its about time we left now." he said looking at the clock that hung over the food hall's great double doors.

"I don't like this, but then again do I have a choice in the matter?" Roxas said bitterly before following Axel out the doors and through a dark realm portal in which he summoned. As they stepped through there was that cold feeling in which he'd felt when he'd gone through one of the portals the first time. "How do you know how to make one of these?"

Axel looked up for a moment then said," Practice, and well you have to have certain strengths to do so."

"What do you mean by that?" Roxas asked, he was curious on the matter and of course for the reason why he was even staying in the first place.

"Well- ah nevermind, we're here." Axel said dismissing his words before stepping through another portal that was already there. "I'll teach you sometime."

_Teach me? What's he getting at?_ Roxas thought for a moment before following Axel through the portal and finally found it warm. Rubbing his arms a bit to get rid of the clinging cold he looked around, but mostly at the sky which was a mixture of colors. Bronze, light black, yellow, orange, red, and pink or the colors of sunset to sum it all up.

"Nice, isn't it?" Axel said interrupting his thoughts so that Roxas only nodded.

"It sure is warm here," Roxas said with a content sigh, he could live here for sure any day, but then saw as Axel took off in a different direction. Walking after him Roxas couldn't help but look around Twilight Town. It was easy to see where it got its name from anyway.

Roxas followed Axel until they came to a dead end of a street and asked," Why're we here in the first place? And don't say its because of our mission. I know that, but what is our mission exactly Axel?"

"There've been stray Heartless and Nobodies coming here lately. Its our job to clear them out so that we don't rise up too much of a ruckus in your territory." Axel explained, but then caught a confused expression on Roxas's face then asked," What? I thought I explained it."

"What's a "Heartless" exactly? And a... Nobody? Who's a Nobody? And who's Heartless?" Roxas asked, he had no idea what or who these people Axel was talking about.

"I guess I didn't explain it all, great." Axel ran a hand through his firey hair once before going into an explination. "You know those black shadows that you would fight?" Roxas nodded. "Those are called Heartless. They steal people's hearts, don't ask me why. I'm not sure myself. As for the Nobodies..." he broke off looking down the alley as he heard noises.

"What?" Roxas asked looking in the same direction as Axel until he heard the noises. "Axel if they-"

"Yeah, I know." Axel said interrupting Roxas before snapping his fingers once. Now the Commander's coats were gone and Roxas had his own clothes back, for now and Axel was dressed in new clothes also. A pair of jeans with a fire red t-shirt and a black jacket.

It was about a second after that three kids walked down into the alley. One was blond haired boy although it was mixed with a little brown, another was a girl with calm green eyes and brown hair, she reminded Roxas of Aerith a bit. The last was a boy with black hair and a red t-shirt that seemed a little long for him. "Who're you?" demanded the brown-blond haired boy.

"No one. We're just passing through." Axel replied with a sigh.

"Don't mind him. What are your names? Mine's Olette." It was the brown haired girl named Olette speaking now, she really did remind Roxas of Aerith. He missed her a bit, she was one of the only people he could talk to about things back in the Destiny Kingdom castle.

"Roxas," Roxas replied and after Axel didn't speak kicked him in the foot.

"Its Axel. Got it- Ow! What was that for?" Axel said to Roxas who had kicked him again, this time harder.

"For being rude." Roxas replied with a frown. Axel sure wasn't good when it came to being talkative and open. "Sorry about him."

"Its fine. My name's Pence and the guy with the bad attitude is Hayner." Pence said with a laugh as Hayner rounded on him.

"That's it, I'm outta here. I'll meet you guys at The Usual Spot later." Hayner replied hotly before walking out of the alley and around the corner out of sight.

Pence sighed as Olette did after Hayner left. "Are you guys new here?" Pence asked," I don't think we've seen you guys around here before."

"No. Just like Axel said, we're just passing through. That's all." Roxas said and he was a bit sad. He liked Pence and Olette and even Hayner a bit, despite his hot-headedness.

"Hey Roxas. How about we meet up here later? I've gotta go take care of that thing we talked about before. You do the same if you see them, 'kay? See ya." Axel said quickly before walking quickly out of the alley and around the opposite corner in which Hayner had disappeared from.

"Uh...okay?" Roxas answered at first then understood.

"Is he okay?" Pence asked," He seemed in a rush."

"He was just trying to find some...people that he knew." Roxas said, it wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth. What could he say? That he was trying to find black shadows that steal people's hearts? No. No he couldn't, that would sound weird.

"Oh, then you're suppose to be helping him?" Olette now spoke to Roxas crossing her arms casually with a smile.

"Sort-of. Although I don't have to do it right away since it seems like he found them anyways." Roxas answered with a smile of his own.

"So, do you want to hang out with us for a bit? We could find Hayner and introduce you two properly." Olette asked.

"Sure, I'd like that." Roxas said following the two other teens as they nodded and walked towards the train station that was visible on a hill.

While they were waiting for the train Pence then asked," Is this your first time to Sunset Terrace?"

"Huh? Sunset Terrace?" Roxas had no idea where this was.

"Where we are." Pence explained.

"Yeah, its a nice place. I wouldn't mind living here than where I normally do. Too many distractions there." Roxas said as the PA system for the strain station crackled to life.

"The train will be arriving shortly."

"That's us." Olette said watching as the train pulled up and opened its doors letting the people that were inside out into the Terrace. It was after the people on the train had cleared that Pence, Olette, and Roxas boarded taking seats as the doors closed. The train then made a jerky motion as it pulled away from the station leaving the three teens to think to themselves for the short ride to the main part of Twilight Town.

_Pence and Olette are really nice. It would be nice if I could spend more time here..._ his thoughts were interrupted as the train pulled into the main Twilight Town station. Getting up he walked out the doors with Pence and Olette following. "So where's this Hayner guy you were talking about?"

"Probably at The Usual Spot. I know, lets pick up some ice cream!" Pence said then sighed as he remembered the lovely treat.

"Ice cream usually cheers up a bad mooded Hayner." Olette explained to Roxas before shouting," C'mon!" Taking off at a run she sped towards the Candy shop with Pence and Roxas in pursuit.

"Four sea-salt ice creams please." Olette asked the lady at the shop who nodded and pulled out four ice cream sticks with the blue ice cream on them giving them to Olette as she paid. "Here Roxas. Try it. Its really good!"

Taking a nervous bite Roxas found the ice cream to be salty yet sweet and all around strangely addictive. "Its really good. What's it called? Sea-salt ice cream?"

"Yep. Lets go to The Usual Spot now. Hayner's gotta be there by now." Olette said.

After walking for about five minutes the three walked down another alley and through a torn fabric to see the blond-brown haired boy that Roxas assumed was Hayner. "You remember Roxas, right? Why don't you introduce yourself." Olette said then added giving him the ice cream," Here."

"Thanks." he said taking the ice cream then looked at Roxas once then said," The name's Hayner. You're new around here, right?"

"Yeah, just passing through." Roxas said to Hayner, he was nice, despite his moodyness.

"Make yourself comfortable." Hayner said then returning to his spot. "Where're you from anyway? We don't get too many visitors around here."

"From the village near the castle." Roxas replied thinking better than to say he was from the Oblivion castle even though it was sort-of half true.

"Really? Is it nice there?" Olette asked dreamily.

"Yeah, it is nice, but then again it can be not so nice with the war and everything." Roxas replied truthfully.

Hayner nodded. "News of the war usually- What is that?"

"Huh? What're you talking about Hayner?" Pence asked confusedly the ice cream stick still in his mouth.

"That!" Hayner exclaimed as a shadow moved its way across the floor before the shadow took form in one of the Heartless Axel had talked about to Roxas.

_A heartless! I've gotta fight it. Otherwise..._ he shook his thoughts away, he wouldn't let that happen to his newfound friends. "Find a weapon!" Hayner then said again dodging out of the way as it leapt at him. Roxas then found he was behind the other three and summoned Oathkeeper to his hand. The Heartless hissed once before turning back to a shadow and leaving The Usual Spot. It was then that Roxas let Oathkeeper disappear as Hayner turned to Roxas.

"Do you know what that 'thing' was?" he questioned, because he knew that Olette and Pence didn't for sure.

"A Heartless." Roxas replied then thought that maybe he should've just kept his mouth shut. "I've got to go." he then added thinking about the others that might be walking around near the exit of The Usual Spot and in the Heartless's way.

"To fight that thing?" Roxas nodded. "Then I'm coming with you." Hayner said grabbing a foamy bat from the corner.

"Wait, are you sure? I mean-" he was cut off by Hayner again.

"I'm coming wheather you like it or not. Its not as if I'm gonna let a friend go alone right? Lets go." Hayner then ran out of The Usual Spot with a smile.

"Be careful." Olette said," Hayner can take care of himself, but please help him out if he gets into a mess."

"We'll be here waiting for you two." Pence added as Roxas nodded as a reply before taking off after Hayner.

-x-X-x-

Meanwhile in another part of the world...

"I thought you said you knew where it was Riku!"

"I do! We're just a little lost that's all!"

"A little? We're in the middle of nowhere it seems!"

"Um guys."

"I know exactly where we're going! Just leave it to me already!"

"Guys..."

"Then where are we? Hmm?"

"GUYS!"

Both boys then turned to look at Kairi shouting," WHAT?!"

"There's a sign right there about where to go." she said pointing at it which was right in front of the bickering teens.

"..." Riku and Sora blinked twice and stayed silent.

Kairi sighed. Men. "It _says_ that the castle is that way." She pointed in the direction in which the sign told her, which was East.

"I knew that." Riku said and Kairi rolled her eyes.

"Suuuure you did. Now lets go, we're wasting time." Kairi said all buisness now and started down the path that lead to the castle from the sign. This place creeped her out and she didn't want to spend any more time than necesssary here. Plus she was worried for Roxas too.

Riku and Sora followed the red haired girl for the first few miles before pulling up their horses next to hers. It was Sora who struck up the conversation then, breaking the silence. "How're we gonna get into the castle anyway once we get there?"

It was a good question. How were they going to do it? "We'll formulate a plan once we camp for the night." Riku said, but Kairi shook her head. "What?" Riku asked her.

"We should do it now. That way we'll have plenty of time." Kairi explained and after taking this in a minute Riku nodded his consent.

"Did you have anything in mind Kairi?" Sora asked, she seemed to be in control for the moment.

"Well, maybe if there were some underground work or air shafts we could work from there." Kairi said, but she had honestly no idea.

"What if disguise ourselves? That might work." Sora said putting in his own idea.

"That's not a bad idea. But then there's the deal of stealing the coats you know." Riku said thinking of a way around the complication.

"Plus we don't even know where they're keeping Roxas, or if they've even captured him." Sora put in even more complicating the situation.

Riku thought a moment then before exclaiming," I've got it! Follow me!"

"Got what?" Sora and Kairi asked in unision as they followed a speeding Riku on his horse.

Riku turned a corner so that they were near a rocky cave. Dismounting Riku rushed inside and motioned for his two friends to come with him in which they did, obviously. "I just got the perfect plan!"

"And what might that be for the millionth time?" Kairi asked with a sigh.

"Okay, here's my plan. We first have to find a seeing pool. Then-" he was cut off.

"A what?" Sora asked Riku was saying weird things now.

"A seeing pool. It lets you see anything or anyone anywhere. There should be one close to here so it'll be perfect for my plan. After we find it we'll use it to find one of the Commanders. When they summon up one of those portal things we'll jump in after 'em just like Roxas did. We'll then sneak out after 'em and get into the castle. Once inside we'll split up after stealing into one of the Commander's rooms and taking, I mean borrowing a few of their coats. Once disguised one of us will go up to a Commander and stealthily ask where Roxas is, but we'll know he's with or around someone because of the seeing pool. Then all three of us'll bust in and take the Commander down saving Roxas. Getting out will take more stealth, but I think we can make it out just fine."

It took Sora a few seconds to process the whole plan into his head before nodding. "That's a great plan Riku!"

Kairi nodded. "It sounds and looks like it could work. We'll have to be very careful though, we don't know who or what'll be watching us once we go through the portal thing or even in general."

"Right, I think its about time we get through with the plan now. It might take a few days to get to the seeing pool. Then another to get it to work properly and then there's the time issue of getting to the Commander in the appropriate time. Also getting out of the dark realm and into the castle, freeing Roxas and getting the heck out of this territory." Riku said listing off the complications.

"So mostly a time issue?" Sora said summing it all up as Riku nodded. "I think Roxas will be able to handle himself till we can get all set up to go. Before we get started though I think we should spend the night here."

"Yeah, it looks like its gonna rain." Kairi said before getting up from her sitting position. "I'll bring in the horses, be right back."

As Kairi left to get the horses Sora looked at Riku with a smile before giving him a surpise hug. "Thank you so much for helping me and Kairi out for finding Roxas Riku!"

Riku could feel his face heating up a bit and managed to say in clear words," No problem."

"Sorry for the hug." Sora said getting off Riku now embarrassed," Kairi might get the wrong idea if she saw, well, technically I'm not sure what she'd think. She's cool in that way though."

"Yeah." Riku responded as Kairi returned.

"Hey Riku, you okay? You look kinda red, are you sick or somethin'?" Kairi asked worridly before scrambling over and resting the back of her hand on Riku's forehead.

Shaking his head away from her hand he put his hands up innocently and spilled out," I-I'm fine, really. Its just a little warm in here, that's all!"

"Well...okay. But don't blame me if you get sick!" Kairi said before rolling out the sleeping mats, pillows/saddlebags, and blankets. "Goodnight you two."

"G'night Kairi, Riku."

"Goodnight Kairi. ...goodnight Sora."

-x-X-x-

After Axel and Roxas had left the food hall Demyx had turned most of his attention to the mostly un-talkative Zexion now. Then he arose a question which finally brought the silver haired man out of his silence. "So how are your thoughts on Roxas Zex?"

"XIII? What brings this on Demyx?" Zexion questioned Demyx who shrugged.

"Curiosity."

"Curiosity killed the cat you know." Zexion said, obviously a quote from some book that Demyx for sure hadn't read.

"That's why cats have nine lives right?" Demyx said with a shrug getting a smile out of Zexion.

"Touche. As for my thoughts on Roxas there really isn't much to say. Hardly know the guy although I do apologize a bit for hitting him over the head. Orders, ya know? Not much you can do about 'em." Zexion said finishing his sandwich before stopping to drain his mug of coffee.

"Yeah. Why're you saying the apology to me though? Say it to him." Demyx said wondering why Zexion would say that.

"Well I can't do that." Zexion replied before taking his mug and setting it on top of his plate.

"Why not?"

"He isn't here."

"Oh. You okay Zexion?" Demyx asked frowning as he looked at him.

"What ever gave you the idea that I wasn't?" Zexion asked raising an eyebrow.

"Oh I don't know. You just seem more...enclosed with yourself lately," Demyx said pausing in the middle to search for the appropriate word. It was then he heard a snicker from the other side of him.

"You two are acting like boyfriends, gossiping about each other's feelings so personally." Xigbar said draping an arm over Demyx's shoulders as Demyx's eyes widened. "Are you now? Did something happen overnight that I wasn't aware of?"

"H-heck no!" Demyx said shrugging Xigbar's arm off. When he looked up he saw that Zexion had left and sighed. Zexion was always wanting to be alone, not wanting anyone to be near him when he didn't want it or didn't need to. "Just lay off Xigbar, nothing happened or anything. He just seems more...depressed or somthing lately. Haven't you noticed?"

"...nope." Xigbar said before shrugging and picking up the remains of his food and dumping it out leaving the food hall. Zexion had also left leaving Demyx by his lonesome back at the table.

-x-X-x-

"Hayner!" Roxas shouted as the blond-brown teen gave him a thumbs-up before swiping at a Heartless which disappeared into the floor before coming up behind him. Summoning Oblivion to his hand he quickly made it disappear. He jumped back as another Heartless leapt at him summoning Oathkeeper to his freehand and making that Heartless disappear also.

"Behind you!"

Roxas turned around bringing up Oblivion to block a soldier-like Heartless's , that was quite familiar to him, attack. "Thanks Hayner!" Roxas shouted back as he swiped Oathkeeper around to destroy the Heartless. Soon almost all the Heartless were destroyed except for about four more. "How are Pence and Olette?" Roxas called to Hayner who dodged another attack, it was obvious he was growing very tired.

"I don't know. I'll check. Can you deal with these wimps?" Hayner said before rushing near The Usual Spot.

Roxas nodded destroying one more Heartless. The other three were a piece of cake as they disappeared in an instant. Pence, Olette, and Hayner then came out and ran up to him. "That was great Roxas! Thank you!" Olette said with a smile.

"Hey! I helped out too!" Hayner said before Roxas laughed at his expression along with Pence, before Olette and then Hayner himself joined in.

Hearing the bell toll from the clocktower Roxas looked up at it. "Looks like I have to meet up with Axel now." Roxas said then turned to his three friends. "It was really nice meeting you guys. I'll be sure to stop back, I swear!"

Hayner raised his arm to Roxas and both boys hit them together in a pact-making ceremony type. "Its a promise." Roxas nodded before waving to them and taking off towards the tunnels that Olette and Pence had shown him before going to The Usual Spot to give Hayner his ice cream.

After weaving through the intricate ways Roxas found himself back at Sunset Terrace. Rounding a corner to the alley he found Axel leaning against a wall, with a devilish smirk on his face. "So how'd it go?" he asked, he knew something, Roxas knew that for sure. But what exactly did he know?

"Good. I met those three. They're really nice you know." Roxas said then added," What's with the face?"

"What face?" Axel said innocently," Sounds to me that you had a better time than you're telling me."

It was then everything clicked in Roxas's brain. "You really didn't have to leave. It was all an act."

"Maaaaaybe." Axel said with his trademark smirk.

"That's the most...nicest thing you've done for me since I've met you." Roxas said a little surprised at his choice in words. "Thanks."

"What can I say, I'm an amazing person." Axel said shrugging with his smirk still on his face.

"I take that thanks back. Now you're just being annoying. Are we done here or something?" Roxas asked wanting to change the subject, but honestly he didn't want to leave Twilight Town yet.

"Nope. One more thing to do." Axel said before grabbing Roxas's wrist and hauling him down the alley, through the tunnels and to the Candy Shop.

"Where're we going Axel?! I can walk myself!" Roxas protested as he was dragged down the streets.

"Two sea-salt ice creams." Axel said then paid as he gave one to Roxas who stared before taking it.

"T-thanks." he said a little off guard before looking as Axel walked towards the station clocktower and motioned for Roxas to follow which he did.

Walking up the steps both soon reached the top of the clocktower and Roxas was amazed at the view. Axel then sat down letting his legs dangle precariously over the edge before patting the space next to him.

Roxas walked over, but scooted so that he was at least a foot away from the original spot that Axel had motioned to. The twilight sky of Twilight Town could be easily seen from the clocktower as both males ate the ice cream in silence for a bit.

"So, how's the view?" Axel asked breaking the silence.

"Amazing." Roxas said so focused on the sky he didn't notice Axel scoot over closer to him.

"Really now?" Axel said causing Roxas to look at him finally realizing how close he was now and back off a bit.

"Y-yeah, really. Axel, seriously, back off." Roxas said with a glare.

Axel sighed in defeat and did as he was told. "Fine. You win. Lets at least stay till the sunset goes away, alright?"

"Alright. You have a deal my hot-headed friend."

-x-X-x-

Author's Note

Kiesha: This is more of a filler chapter I think. -yawn- I'm tired. Its about five in the morning here and I have had no sleep as I've been typing this. Not much of Axel in this one. Sorry! I love to write about Sora and Riku fighting, 'tis fun! Axel saw you with Olette, Hayner and Pence Roxas!

Roxas: ...so?

Kiesha: So? Don't you feel stalked?

Roxas: -feels extreme urge to kill my face- I'm trying not to think of that if you haven't noticed!

Kiesha: ...ooookay, I guess I'll take my leave then. -scrambles away as Oathkeeper is thrown at me-


	12. A New Target

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in Kingdom Hearts. They belong to Square Enix, Disney and Tetsuya Nomura. ...dang.

Pairings: Main- AkuRoku(Axel X Roxas), RikuSoraKairi

Side pairings- Demyx X Namine, & one-sided Namine X Roxas

Side Note: I've been having writer's block lately so that's why this wasn't up earlier and also needed to have the emotional stamina to write this chapter, 'specially with the trauma that's been going on in my life lately. I'm still deciding where the cut-off point for part 1 is going to be. Maybe Ch. 20 or something, not sure. Also I'm adding my OC in this just because I'm running out of things to make the story more interesting, he won't come till later though. He'll be minor though, I swear! Now for the fic! Onwards and away!

Chapter 11

A New Target

_"Alright. You have a deal my hot-headed friend."_

Axel stared in disbelief, he never actually thought Roxas would agree to the suggestion and turned his attention away from Roxas to look back at the sunset all the while taking bites out of his ice cream. "So we're friends now?" he said after a minute.

"Yeah." Roxas said with a nod. " I think I can emotionally stand you enough to be your friend. Besides, now I know at least you have a less-perverted side that I can deal with now. So I'm gonna give it a chance." he shrugged.

Smirking a bit Axel responded. "I'm not sure wheather to take that as a compliment or not actually, but just for the sake of the moment I'll say its a compliment. Thanks Roxy." He had scooted over when Roxas's attention was on the view and now next to his ran a hand through his spikey blond hair messing it up a little bit.

"Hey!" Roxas protested ducking out of the reach of Axel's hand with a little laugh and smoothed it out a bit ignoring the 'Roxy' comment. When he looked back he saw that the sun had finally gone down meaning the sunset had faded. Sighing disappointedly he heard Axel get up from his spot next to him and looked up.

"Well, we might as well get going. I still have some work to finish up. Xemnas is such a slave driver." Axel complained a bit with a sigh. Making a portal he looked at Roxas who had also gotten up and stepped through with the teen behind him.

It was as they were stepping through the portal that Roxas noticed the cold again and shivered just a bit before coming out on the other side finding himself inside Axel's room. Looking at the clock that was on the desk he found to his surprise that it was only 9 o' clock. While he was watching the clock as it turned to 9:01 p.m. it became apparent that someone was staring at him so he turned his gaze to the only other person in the room. "It makes me uncomfortable when you stare like that you know."

"Really now? Can you blame me for enjoying the view?" Axel said leaning on his hand a bit with a smile, most likely perverted in some way.

Roxas threw him a hard glare and then responded by saying," That's it, I'm leaving." That Roxas did by hurridly moving out the door and shutting it, none too quietly either.

Axel just smirked and chuckled to himself before lounging back in his chair. It was then he glanced at the paper at his desk and thought for a second 'Screw this, I'll just go talk to the guy himself.' If it was one thing Axel did "not" like paperwork, in fact he wished whoever had come up with it in the first place should go in a hole and blow up, with lots of flames afterward if possible. However Roxas on the other hand was another matter, but he stopped himself from going any further than that.

Getting up from the chair with a stretch he walked out of his room and shut the door behind him starting down the hallway.(after looking at Roxas's room for a second first however.) While on the way to the Superior's office he only saw one other person, a maid, but it was strange. Usually he saw more than just one person roaming about the halls. This should've made him suspicious, but instead he ignored it saying it was only coincidence as he found the Superior's office door.

Knocking lightly with the back of his gloved hand he waited for a reply. None came. He knocked again, this time louder and more impolite. "Are you in there Xemnas?!" he called, but got no response, usually he was in there. Raising an eyebrow he let himself in and found the room was empty with a letter on the desk. Looking around once, Axel casually strode over to the note picking it up and reading it.

"What?" Axel said softly to no one in particular as he rubbed his head confusedly. Dropping the note in the spot it had originally been he made his way towards Vexen's room. All he knew was that he was worried, for Roxas, and whoever it was that was mentioned in the note. Checking the clock on the hallway wall he saw that the time read 9:13 and panicking a bit left the room. He only had two minutes to get to Vexen's room where he could then figure out what was going on.

_i'Superior,_

_I've examined the subject un-noticed as you have asked me to. Things are going smoothly and I hope will continue to do so. I trust that you'll allow me to keep in continument with my research on the subject and let me bring it further. My interest has gone further as I've seen a new variable in this equation conerning the new target. He could be of use, if only the one little roadblock is smoothened out. The new target can help with clearing it away with no problem at all, once it finds its true potential and with the proper 'persuation', also including Number XIII's help of course. If you are interested in my views more on wheather this will have an effect to bring the other Kingdom to its knees then please by all means stop by the laboratory at 9:15 in the afternoon. I'll be sure to have all of my research ready and presentable by then if you choose to come._

_ -Number IV'i/_

-x-X-x-

i_"Where am I?"_

_Silence._

_'...seems to go on forever...' Echoed Kairi's thoughts._

_This has got to be a dream...has to be. Kairi rubbed her eyes looking around again. "Sora? Riku? Anyone?" It was pitch black and she couldn't see a thing._

_"Sora, Riku, this isn't funny!" she said blindly walking forwards until she found that she was falling. Falling? How can I be falling? she wondered as she finally hit a hard surface._

_"Ow..." she said getting up and looking around, she was back at Disney Castle or the castle of Destiny Kingdom. "Why am I here?" she wondered aloud. It was then she heard the sound of fighting and as a wide-eyed expression crossed her face rushed towards it._

_Finally she came upon the cause of the fighting. There was Riku, and Roxas, and...who? Kairi blinked, it was a redheaded male, but he seemed familiar. 'Where did I see him before?' she wondered to herself before stopping to think on more urgent matters. 'They need my help!'_

_Summoning her keyblade to her hand she then dashed into the battle just as the redhead darted behind Roxas to cut him with one of his circular weapons which Kairi reconignized as chakrams from a weapons book she once read. Darting inbetween the two she held up her keyblade to block it bracing herself for the force that was sure to come with the blow._

_She never felt it._

_The chakram had gone right through her injuring Roxas on the shoulder. Kairi dazedly shook her head and blinked her eyes before thinking. 'What was that?' Now she saw that Riku was holding force against the taller man and pushing him back a bit. Taking the opportunity she shashed at him. It went straight through him leaving Kairi to slash at him a few more times._

_It became apparent to her then that they couldn't see nor feel nor touch her when Roxas went straight through her from behind. "W-what's going on?" she stammered letting her keyblade disappear._

_Not more than a minute after she had let her keyblade disappear it was then she heard the tall, headhead speak.i/_

"That was fun. I'll be sure to come back soon if it gets like this. Too bad I won't be able to complete my mission today though."

i

_Kairi watched as the defeated man created a weird portal like before. Afterwards she heard Roxas shout.i/_

"Wait just a minute!"

i_Then Riku./i_

"Roxas!"

_iIt was after that brief uttering of words that Riku scrambled off at a sprinting pace towards the village. "Is this what happened to Roxas? Riku did say he jumped in after...who again?" Kairi rubbed her temples in annoyance. Why couldn't she remember the redhead's name? Roxas did complain about that particular person after the kissing incident on the battlefield, so why didn't it come to her now?i/_

It was around the end of that thought that her head hurt so much that she just collapsed onto the ground. When the pressure seemed to be lifting she opened her eyes and found them on the still sort-of smoking cold fire, but only had enough energy to murmur," ...what...was that? ...Sora..." Before falling asleep, but this time untroubled by dreams.

-x-X-x-

It had almost been a whole day since Kairi had kissed him. Technically he still didn't know what to think about the matter and kept quiet throughout most of the daily ride causing Riku to grow suspicious a bit. "You okay Sora?"

No answer.

"Hey Sora, are you okay?"

No answer again.

"SORA!"

Sora jumped in his saddle what seemed like a foot and looked frantically around. "What? What?!" he said panicing.

"Dude, I just asked you if you were okay." Riku said to the brunette resting a light hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, of course! Why wouldn't I be?" Sora said showing his usual bubbly tone of voice.

" Maybe its 'cause you didn't answer me 'till I yelled at you for a simple question?" Riku pointed out and Sora smiled embarrassingly.

"Sorry." he said then turned his attention back on the road, but still his mind kept racing back to the last night's events.

Even Kairi was growing worried, 'Was it something I said or did last night?' She wondered frantically although didn't show it, but just kept her eys on the road although she was just as distracted as Sora, but mostly from her strange dream.

"Who...was that?" she said aloud not thinking about the two boys who were just to the right of her.

"Well...," Riku looked up from trying to talk to Sora," Did you see someone or something Kairi? I don't see anyone."

"Huh?" Kairi said now looking at Riku.

"You just asked who someone was. I figured you'd seen someone. Did you?" Riku asked.

"N-no, just...what's that?" Kairi said as a flicker of black came across her vision.

"What's what?" Sora said looking over at his red-haired friend who all of a sudden went pale before charging her horse forwards leaving a very confused Sora and Riku in the dust. "W-wait Kairi!" Sora shouted after her before charging his own horse after hers with Riku behind him in pursuit-mode.

"Wait!" Kairi called, she knew what she'd seen. She's seen Roxas! Well, just part of his face, but still she'd seen him. 'I know I saw him! I know I did! There's no mistaking it!' she told herself repeatedly in her mind. "Roxas! Stop!"

It was then Riku heard Kairi's voice and made out the words 'wait' and 'Roxas'. "But Roxas isn't here...he's somewhere else..." Riku said slowly and confusedly. He then jerked his horse to go faster in which it did now pulling Riku in front of Sora who did the same.

After a minute or two they finally cut her off... before she went over a rocky cliff that was just before a very long crevice which was home to a waterfall. "What were you doing Kairi?! You could've gotten yourself killed!" Sora said shaking his friend's shoulders.

"B-But I saw him! I know I did!" Kairi said back at Sora who looked confused.

"Saw who Kairi?" Sora asked.

"Roxas, he was there! Right?" she turned to Riku pleadingly. He had seen Roxas too, right?

Riku shook his head. "There was no one. Obviously we're being either tricked or mislead. Or both."

"By who?" Sora said," Nobody's seen us, right?"

Riku then let a few chuckles escape him then as he brought up his hand to stop the laughter.

"Hey! What's so funny?!" Sora yelled at the older boy.

"On the contrary Sora, it seems as if Nobody _has_ seen us and the ones we should worry about on top of that!" Instead of just Sora, Kairi also joined Sora in union to answer Riku's statement.

"Nobody...?"

-x-X-x-

"Well? I'd like to see how your research is doing IV." A cold unfeeling voice said.

"Things are coming along quite nicely actually Superior. From these reports I've collected on the target you can see it has connections with XIII." Another voice answered the first now.

_Vexen and Number I or Xemnas, what are you up to? What is this new target you're going on about? From what it seems you've been keeping this a secret from the rest of us for awhile. What are you hiding?_ Axel asked mentally as he listened from behind some boxes that Vexen had, thankfully, been too lazy to move. Above all that he was thankful Xemnas had been late getting to Vexen's room and that at the same time Vexen was nowhere to be seen at the moment so getting into the room and hiding himself had been a pice of cake.

"I see. So she has an abnormal ability to mingle with memories?" Xemnas asked The chilly academic as he nodded from what Axel could tell.

"Yes, and from a little experiment I did last night, she can predict future events before they happen. A truly marvelous asset to their kingdom, although... it troubles me that they haven't used such a power on us. Seems like a waste of a perfect specimen in my view, but then again." Vexen shrugged." I don't know her actions in person."

_Her, the new target's a girl? What's Vexen getting at exactly?_ Axel thought frowning before turning his attention back to the two men.

"Truly marvelous indeed. What was the other theory you had in mind Vexen?" Xemnas said," The last time we spoke on the matter you brought this up as well as in the note."

"Well, the theory of mine is that since she can see new events and memories from beforehand maybe she can erase and make new ones. Its kind of far fetched I guess, but if I have permission I'd like to make amends for further research on this project." Vexen explained crossing his arms casually.

"I see." It was then Xemnas's gaze shot up to the other's. "Has DiZ been informed of this lately?"

"Y-yes Superior. He was the one who encouraged me to continue, over my own doubts, b-but I thought you should know in advance."

Xemnas nodded. "You should know well to do so. After all, with Kingdom Hearts precariously on the edge of being complete we do not want any screw ups. Why DiZ is interested in such a trivial thing is of importance to me. Inform me if he comes to see you again and do not by any circumstances tell him of this conversation, do you understand me IV?"

"Y-yes sir." Vexen said as the Superior nodded. "Good, then I expect a full report the next time he visits you. I'm curious on to what he's thinking, bringing another Nobody into this buisness." Leaving Vexen to think on the rest of his words, Xemnas left the room without shutting the door behind him.

After a few minutes Axel began to think that Vexen would never leave the room and began quietly muttering to himself about his predicament when Vexen finally sighed and left the room.

Getting up and stretching himself out he looked around the lab one last time before going to the door. Reaching for the doorknob he found it suddenly opened and found Vexen staring at him from the other side.

"Uh, hello Vexen!" Axel said quickly a fear creeping up behind him as Vexen continued to stare for a second.

"Axel. What are you doing in my room, during this time of night?"

-x-X-x-

Roxas had gone back to his room and closing the door laid down on the bed. Staring up at the ceiling he let his mind's thoughts race around. '_What's up with that guy? All of a sudden he's a pain in the butt to be around, then nice, then an annoying creep, decent, friendly, serious, strange, mysterious, annoying and the cycle repeats. I can't understand him at all!' he sighed inbetween his thoughts. _"Well, at least I know the black monsters are called Heartless, but what about the white things?" he said aloud. Axel had to leave before he could tell him. '_I'll ask him tomorrow if I get a chance.'_ he thought with a yawn, '_Might as well get some sleep. Being here with Axel and in the Oblivion Kingdom sure can make you tired. Still...I can't help, but get the feeling they're being way too careful and avoiding the one factor that matters. Why am I here? What do they exactly want with me anyway...apparently from what I've observed I somehow joined the Organization Commanders...but how and why? I need answers, and the fastest way is to either ask Axel or go for that Demyx guy.'_

Sitting up Roxas found that with the questions racing through his head he couldn't possibly fall asleep. "I need answers. Now." Getting up he walked over to the door and heard a noise on the other side. Halting from opening the door he listened for a second till it came again.

It was knocking, and it was on...his door? Opening it he found himself staring at a Commander with the hood of his black coat over his head, but from where Roxas was standing it could be seen that the man had silverish eyes. "Uh...hello. Can I help you with something?" Roxas asked trying to choose his words carefully.

"Yes, you can actually. My name is Zexion. Come with me."

-x-X-x-

Author's Note

Kiesha: Well this is a bit shorter than some of the others. Well, a bunch of cliffhangars here isn't there? Sorry 'bout that! It was also taking quite a while to write/type. -sigh- Stress and the like. So here's that. Chapter 12 will be in progress shortly. I personally feel happy about Zexion unexpectedly showing up. Felt I needed to bring that awesome haired guy back. - Yay.

Kiaxshe: Tune in for a chapter preview.

Chapter Preview: Vexen pays a visit to the new target, Roxas is precariously tipping from a life and death scale and it isn't his fault, and Axel has a really hard time discribing things.

Kiaxshe: That's it for the chapter preview. -mutters- Why do I do this, I don't even get paid! TT


	13. Escape?

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts's characters in any way by making this fan-fiction. Now, if I did then we wouldn't have a fic now would we? Hmm?

Side Note: I'm happy that this is getting quite a few hits. Makes me happy people are actually reading this. Well, here's chapter 12, sorry for the wait!

Chapter 12

Escape?

"Yes you can actually. My name is Zexion. Please come with me."

_Wait a sec...Zexion? Where have I heard that name before... oh wait, Axel introduced us at the food hall that one time that's it._ Roxas thought before saying,"I know."

"Know what?" Zexion was confused now.

"Your name. I know your name so you didn't have to introduce yourself." Roxas said with a sigh.

"Oh. Well I apologize for the rudeness and knocking you out before, but-" he was cut off.

"YOU were the one that hit me over the head? That knocked me out?" the blonde was having second thoughts now. _'This guy expects me to go with him even though before he knocked me out and forced me to stay with that pervert-stalker-sort of friend Axel!'_

"Yes I was and I'm sorry for that. Orders and whatnot, alright?" Zexion was becoming impatient. "Now come with me."

"And I'll echo my own thoughts by saying 'Why the hell should I?'" Roxas said, he didn't trust Zexion as far as he could throw him and from the looks of it, that wasn't very far.

"Look I-" he shook his head. "I owe a favour to Axel alright? He just wants me to take you to see him. Now either you follow me to that hot-headed idiot or I drag you there."

Roxas raised both eybrows in wonder. "Axel? How do you come to owe..._Axel_ a favour?"

"Well its...nevermind, lets just go already, he's suppose to be around the corner." Zexion said pointing and Roxas finally stepped out of his room leaving the door ajar as this surely wouldn't take too long, right? _'It had better not. God I'm so tired.'_ Roxas thought and followed the silver haired man around the corner to see a very distressed pyro literally leaping at Zexion once he appeared with a certain blonde behind him.

"Thank you sooooo much Zexy!" he said to Zexion who scowled at the nickname. Roxas held back his laughter. What? It wasn't his fault that 'Zexy' sounded more like 'sexy' from the way Axel said it.

"Alright, I've done the favour. I'm leaving now. Goodbye." Zexion said rolling his eyes and left muttering things that were unheard to both Axel and Roxas.

"What did you need?" Roxas said crossing his arms, he could be asleep by now if it wasn't for Axel.

"I think you need to leave early." Axel said seriously which made Roxas raise his eyebrows.

"Trying to get rid of me? You're pulling my leg." Roxas said his eyes widening, why would Axel want him to leave early?

"No, that's not it. I'm completely serious. I-" he was cut off by a speck of silver down the hall to the left of them, it was Xemnas. At the sight of the Superior he let his mind wander to the events which happened beforehand to his decision.

-x-X-x-

"_Axel. What are you doing in my room, especially at this time of night?" Vexen asked the redhead who was looking casual although there was a little tension about him. 'To be expected,' Vexen thought, 'he has to deal with thirteen and other mission matters lately.'_

_"Uh, I'm looking for the Superior." Axel said being careful to hide his 'uh' from Vexen's ears._

_It went unheard thankfully and Vexen asked again," Okay, but what are you doing in MY room?"_

_"Well he wasn't in his office and I heard him speak about seeing you after nine sometime and wondered if he was still here even if it is after ten, 'cause he likes to make meetings really long sometimes. Right?" Axel said resting his hands on his hips casually._

_"Oh, well he's gone now. I think he was headed for thirteen's room. Go look there." Vexen said stepping in his own room as Axel stepped out of it proceeding to shut the door, but was stopped as a huge chunk of ice was thrown at him along with the words of," And never come into my lab again! You do remember what happened last time don't you? Now I suggest that if you don't want to become a feline again that you leave!" The door was then slammed as Axel got up holding his head._

_"Guy's got good aim." he muttered painfully. The ice had hit their mark at the far right of his forehead where there was a soon-to-be bruise and a woundish mark. Then he remembered what Vexen had said, he was going to see Roxas. "Roxas..."_

_From what the conversation had told Axel, Xemnas + Roxas disaster just waiting to happen. At a sprinting pace he dashed through the hallways until __**SMACK!**__ he came crashing to the floor._

_"Please don't run in the hallways Axel..." came the annoyed voice of Zexion, the cloaked schemer._

_"Oh Zexion! I've got a favour to ask of you!" Axel said to the silver haired man as he picked himself up as Axel did._

_"And 'why' should I help you again?" Zexion asked the flurry of dancing flames._

_"Because of that one little picture that I burned for you of the mission to the pridelands. Remember?" there was a devilish grin on Axel's face._

_"Oh yes. THAT reason. What do you need?"_

_"Can you get Roxas for me? I'll be waiting around the corner from his room, okay? Thanks!" the pyro then made a portal before stepping through it and leaving Zexion alone before he could ask why._

_Sighing Zexion could only mutter something that had the words of," Blackmail Axel later." in it and made is way to Roxas's room._

-x-X-x-

The silver speck was moving now...towards them! Axel knew he was panicking, not something he did often and snatched Roxas by his wrist (people seemed to be doing that a lot lately...) dragging him into his room and closing the door.

"Ax..el!" he shouted jerkily as he found he was in his own room again. "What exactly is going on?!" he said snapping, he was now past ten on the confusion scale.

'_He is soo going to kill me for this..., but its for his own good! Help me whatever god or gods are out there or someone so that I come out of this unscathed or at least scathed, but with some ounce of life in me!'_ It was after that thought that he pushed Roxas into the closet stumbling in himself as the closet door slammed shut packing both the tall redhead and short blonde inside the way-to-small-for-comfort closet.

"Axel you idiot! What did you do that for?!" Roxas growled, he really wanted to hurt Axel now_. 'A few good smacks over the head with a keyblade should do the trick.'_ he thought, but then heard knocking on his door outside the closet along with a cold cool voice.

"XIII, are you in there? If so open the door. Its an order." It was Xemnas.

"Shh." Axel pleaded to his blonde friend as he squirmed around trying to open the closet door. Finally after no avail of ever moving from the spot he sighed in defeat, although he could've sworn that the walls were closing in. Maybe he was turning claustrophobic or something.

The opening of the door could be heard as the heavy footsteps looked around Roxas's room. Xemnas spoke again, but instead it was to himself. "He's not here it seems." a sigh followed. "XIII will be a handful to take care of alright. Things just got more complicated with King DiZ bringing in that memory witch soon and another Nobody to boot. Feh!" the anger in Xemnas's voice was heard crystal clear throughout the whole room, even in the closet, as it rumbled.

The footsteps now retreated as the door was shut (well more slammed actually) and the noise of walking feet drifted off. Roxas, unable to stand being in the same small closet with Axel (not to mention that the redhead was waaay too close to his 'unmentionables' for comfort), then summoned Oathkeeper to his hand slamming it against the door till it gave way.

Both males then fell out of the closet sprawling on the floor. The blonde teen then felt something on top of his back and did not want to look at what he thought it was, but did it anyway. It was Axel. "Axel, get off!"

"I'm trying! How'sa bout you get your leg or whatever it is that's touching my neck away! It tickles!" Came the strangled reply with a somewhat-amused chuckle thrown in.

"What are you talking about? Your whole body is on top of me Axel, now get off already!" Roxas had a strange feeling that if the redhead did not move and make a whiney complaint things would get introduced to his good old friends called Oathkeeper and Oblivion and Axel was only one of those things.

"I'm getting! I'm getting!" Axel said shifting his body so he was able to undo the tangled knot that himself, Roxas and other random objects in the closet had become. After getting untangled he shoved his body which was still on the floor towards Roxas's bed which was a safe distance from a very ferocious keyblade.

Roxas also sat up rubbing his head then said," Axel, do not try to molest me right now. Are you asking for a keyblade in your face?!"

"Uh Roxas? I'm over here." Axel said as he waved from his position by the bed when Roxas looked up at him.

"Then what's touching my leg?" he said then turned to look as Axel did.

It was a cat.

-x-X-x-

_'So there she is. I think its time I stopped wasting my time observing and focused more on the doing. A good thing I have Lexeaus to help me out.'_ Vexen thought. After Axel had made a hasty sudden retreat out of his room Xemnas had confronted him again saying it would probably be best if they brought the 'memory witch' which he referred to her as, into the castle.

Lexeaus inspected the outer view of Disney Castle, the capitol of Destiny Kingdom and its pride and joy. "Where is she now? It'd be best if we could get her un-scathed as well as ourselves." Although he didn't talk much, Lexeaus was a very smart man.

"From what I've studied in her schedule she should be in the Library, the librarians should also be on their breaktime. Lets do this quickly, we don't want any screw-ups and we need to make this so that she isn't missed straight-away." Vexen said calculating the time frame inside his head. After a few moments he smirked and said," Lets head inside."

Lexeaus responded with a nod only and make a portal stepping through it as did Vexen.

-x-X-x-

Namine was looking at her sketches, as usual, pondering over them and trying to find the deep meaning behind it. The dream of Axel and Roxas was different though and of her journey to the supposed Oblivion Kingdom Castle. The other dreams would go away just as soon as she finished drawing, that was normal, but this...this dream kept haunting her as she tried to think of other things.

"What a mess," she commented laying her head back against the wood frame of the chair she was sitting in. It was after that she heard a voice and the world just went black. Nothing else, just...black.

-x-X-x-

It was a cat. A white one, with black paws and silverish stripes with black tinged ears.

"Hrrrrr," it purred stroking itself around Roxas's legs which were folded under him.

"Its a cat." Axel said and Roxas contradicted him.

"Kitten and no duh Mr. Point-out-the-obvious." Roxas said picking up the kitten and setting it down on his lap. Stroking its head making it purr louder. "Putting the kitten aside for the moment, why do you want me to leave?"

Axel sighed. '_Oh boy',_ he thought then said," Look I'm sorry for before it was to help you and-" he was cut off.

"Just tell me already Axel."

The pyro then stopped stalling and spilled out his entire story to his blonde friend who didn't move as it was told although he had...a very strange way of explaining it.

"Okay so here's how it is. I was going down to Xemnas's room, right? Then when I knocked on the door nobody answered so I just let myself in. Then I found this weird note and read it and afterwards I'm like Wtf, right? Okay, after that I went to Vexen's room 'cause it was from him and sorta did a...what's that ninja woman-person-girl in your castle? I think its Yuffie. What with her always screaming 'I AM THE GREAT NINJA YUFFIE' with the whole 'fear me or I shall destroy you!' vibe going on." He paused for a breath. "Anyway I hid out in the room and listened in on their converstion, they never do tell us much about things anyway, and your name kept coming up. Well your number that is, y'know XIII, 13, whatever. So afterwards they said somethin' about a 'new target' and that you knew 'her'. Do you know any girls Roxas? Do you luuurve someone?" he smiled devilishly at Roxas who at this point in the one-sided explination had turned a tomato red color, muttering 'shut up' before Axel continued. "H'okay, then after it was over I decided that it would be best if you left now espcecially with the comment of 'with the proper persuation and number XIII's help' from the note floating around. Its been decided, you're going, now.'

"...what?" Luckily Roxas had been able to understand most of what the redhead had said to him however...strange it might've been.

"You heard me. I don't want you getting hurt, you're my friend Roxas!" Somehow hearing himself saying that made a little voice in his head say, '_you liar'._

"...but why would they want one of my friends?" he honestly didn't know which friend of his they wanted. Kairi maybe, but then again she had Sora and Riku with her and they'd be fine. Olette? Naw, she's back in Twilight Town and Axel said he didn't give Xemnas the report yet so he couldn't know. _'Why would Axel even mention Hayner, Pence and Olette in the report anyway? Just the main stuff, right?'_ he was too annoyed with the question at hand to ask the redhead. Namine? She was back at the castle safe and sound, there was also King Mickey, Leon, and Cousin Cloud to help protect her, none were easy options but still, so who could they mean?

Axel, still impatient for Roxas to leave as soon as possible and not risk Xemnas or possibly anyone who would see from seeing him leave, sighed speaking again," Here. I'm only going to show you this once how to do this. After all, I said I'd show you that one time. Right?"

"Huh?" Was all that came out as Roxas was yanked from the floor to a standing position the kitten being made to leap from his lap to the floor where it landed on a convienent soft pillow and snuggled up against it.

"First hold your hand out in front of you." Axel said as Roxas hesitated. "Its to help you make a portal. I said I'd show you how. Better late then never right?" he laughed before demonstrating. If Roxas knew how to make one it would make his job a whole lot easier.

Roxas nodded and did so copying Axel waiting for the next step. "Okay now here's the tricky part. It'll only work though if you have the special 'gift' okay? You need to reach down inside your soul and in this case, your heart and feel the brushing of the darkness in this room. Tear open a hole with your mind while at the same time think of your destination and the portal should open. Once inside it you must keep the thought of where you're going in your head." he tapped his own head," Got it memorized? And keep moving, or the darkness will consume your heart and soul, not to mention your body as well."

Nodding Roxas tried to do so, but in the process of it he failed to catch the last bit of it that Axel said. "But, from what Xemnas and the seniors have told us you have it. Its to be expected from one of our own anyway." Axel was smirking when he said it.

Soon a good decent-sized portal was there and Axel whistled. "Not too shabby. Took me at least my second try to get it together. Well, I think you should leave right now, its as good a time as any and you didn't exactly bring anything with you right? The less time you waste here the better." he chuckled a bit as Roxas slowly nodded.

"Well...I guess this is goodbye." Roxas said and Axel shook his head.

"Naw, you're just gonna be a little farther apart from me. That's all. We'll still be friends wheather I'm here, and you're there. That doesn't change a thing." he said his smirk staying.

"Since when'd you become some sort of poet?" Roxas replied in a joking manner. " Will 'till next time' work?"

"Quite nicely." Axel said. " 'Till next time then."

" 'Till next time." Roxas agreed. Stepping forwards to go into the portal, probably never seeing the Oblivion Kingdom Castle and Axel ever again, it was then he felt someone grabbing his shoulder and Axel's voice again.

"One more thing before you leave. A goodbye present, just in case something happens." Roxas had been jerked around and stopped so that Axel was only a few inches from his face.

"A goodbye present? But I-" his words then became muffled as Axel leant in and closed the gap between the two as he fiercely kissed the blonde boy.

Strangely Roxas felt himself enjoying this last moment with Axel not pulling away, but letting the redhead come closer till one arm was around his waist and another at his neck. He soon found his own arms draped across Axel's neck and found then that he was smiling.

The moment only lasted a few seconds as Axel pulled away with that trademark smirk of his plastered on his face. "See ya Roxy." he said softly before shoving the teen into the portal. A second after it disappeared knocks came onto the door and Axel opened it to see the face of Demyx.

"Oh. Hey Demyx." he said blinking a few times and finally regained his composure although inside he felt like a part of him just broke.

-x-X-x-

Author's Note

Kiesha: Yes! I have finally updated! -feels proud of self- Its about time too. Sorry for the wait! -begs for forgiveness- Anyway, on a side note I'm happy I got this done, now I get to write about more emoness, awkward moments, and a very confuzzled Axel in the next chapter. YAY!


	14. The Truth About Roxas

Disclaimer: I'm gonna say this right off the bat, I don't own Kingdom Hearts, got it memorized? Good.

Side Note: I'm sorry if this chapter seems moody, but after what happened last chapter its gotta be right? Also I've been listening to the song In My Mind by SR-71, 30 minutes by T.A.T.U, The 13th Anthology and can't get AkuRoku out of my head. Also some Disney songs (mostly Lion King ones strangely). Sora, Kairi, and Riku haven't been forgotten either! Neither has Namine! I have only 2 OC's in this chapter, but they are VERY minor and although sort of play a big role in this they are just in the story because of the need for two people in this chapter and I do own them. Time for the fic to start now! -Kiaxshe silences my ramblings-

Chapter 13

The Truth About Roxas

From the look on his face Roxas was sure Axel hadn't heard him when he was shoved by said person into the portal. Hadn't heard him call out, say his name.

He was now in that cold of darkness again, and while a part of him wanted to go back the other held him back. If he went back something bad was going to happen to him, well according to Axel, and strangely enough Roxas trusted him. He trusted that stalker-friend-pervert of a guy named Axel.

Keeping his mind on that one particular vision in his head just like Axel instructed he saw the light then, the light that signified another portal out. Why it was bright and not dark like it should've been was a mystery to Roxas, but had no complaints stepping through it finding himself in the one place he had envisioned. His room.

His Destiny Kingdom room that is. Looking around he ran to each wall of his room making sure this wasn't an illusion of some sort. It wasn't. Laying down on his bed he stared up at the ceiling listening, just listening, but for nothing in particular, just to hear the sound of Destiny Castle again.

The birds were outside his window, chirping their regular cheerful tune, there was always the quiet rustle of footsteps outside his door, and the last noise he heard was his door being opened.

_'Axel?'_ Why his thoughts immediately flew to the pyro Roxas had no idea, but when he turned his head towards the doorway and the person standing there he could've sworn there was a tall redhead in the doorway...no, it was just Cloud. _'...Cloud?!'_ he shot up in his bed staring at the confused and shocked blue eyes of Cloud which mirrored his own.

"Ro-Roxas?" Cloud asked uncertainly, as if trying to judge wheather this was his cousin or not.

"Yeah, its me Cloud. I'm back." Roxas said running over to the taller blonde and wrapping his arms around him.

Once Cloud was sure that Roxas was all flesh and blood he returned the hug then broke apart from his cousin and said," Its a miracle."

"Sort of." Roxas muttered with a sad smile, luckily Cloud hadn't heard him.

"We have to go see the King, right now!" Cloud said suddenly grabbing his cousin by the wrist and leading him down the hall.

"I can walk myself Cloud!" Roxas said irritated. Cloud gave a quick apology letting go of his hand. Roxas sighing placed his hands into the pockets of the Organization Commanders' coat, but felt something inside it.

"Huh?" Roxas said softly grabbing at the thing that was in his pocket pulling it out. It was a silver chain with a flame shaped piece of bronze metal attached to it. He caught himself staring at the piece for a minute before beginning to notice that there was a piece of paper also in his hand. Just about to open it he heard Cloud's voice again.

"The King'll be so glad that you're okay Roxas, we just need a plan now to get Sora, Kairi and Riku back safe and sound."

Shoving the paper in his pocket he put the silver chain around his neck making it hidden underneath his coat. _'Sora...Kairi...Riku, I'll find you and bring you home. I swear it!' _Determination in his cobalt colored eyes Roxas walked through the door Cloud had opened for him and then heard the door shut as Cloud walked in himself.

"Your Majesty." Roxas said looking as King Mickey turned around and saw Roxas there with disbelief.

"Roxas?" he was unsure at first then added more joyously," Roxas! You're back with us!" He walked over to both blondes. "Where are Riku, Sora and Kairi? Has something happened to them?" he was worried now.

"I...I honestly don't know where they are." Roxas said depressingly.

"I see." Mickey said with a sigh.

"But I'm going to go find them." Roxas said determined.

Mickey frowned. "You can't go now. I'm sorry, but while you were away things have been getting tight around here. Oblivion Kingdom broke the garrison border just the other day."

A shattering noise could be heard as Roxas thought over Mickey's words. _'They...they broke the garrison? But, how?'_ Those words then came out of his mouth unexpectedly.

It was Cloud who answered this time. "We were overwhelmed. Without you, Sora and Kairi's help we were rammed. Leon's in the infirmary with serious wounds and from what he said the Commander he was fighting went...berserk on him from what we got from Leon.

"Did you get anything else? A name perhaps?" Roxas inquired, maybe he knew this 'berserker' from the time spent in the Oblivion Kingdom Castle.

"Uh, all Leon told us is that he was called a 'Number VII' by another Commander why do you ask?" Cloud said his eyebrows furrowed in confusion to why Roxas would ask such a question.

"Uh, no reason. For informational purposes, that's all." Roxas quickly covered up, part of him wondered why he was protecting the Commander. If he were a truly loyal warrior he'd come out and tell them everything he knew about the castle in the rainy dark city.

"Oh, you have a point though Roxas. How did you get back though?" Cloud asked, and was about to answer when he shut his mouth. "Is something wrong, did something happen to you?"

Seeing the interrogating eyes of Cloud and King Mickey the blonde boy grew nervous stepping back a bit before muttering," I'm sorry!" And ran like some of the castle's huge guarddogs were after him out of the room.

"Shall I fetch him back King Mickey?" Cloud asked looking worriedly at Mickey.

"No, leave him be. I can only wonder what they might've done, told him. I wonder, wonder if he knows the truth yet. If Sora, Kairi and Riku are free from harm." King Mickey said and Cloud shot him a questioning look.

"What do you mean your majesty? Is there something about Roxas that I don't know?" Cloud pulled a chair from a nearby tablesitting down on it and asked his eyes pleading to know what was wrong with his cousin," Tell me if there is."

King Mickey sighed, it was time Cloud knew the truth about his cousin, or rather supposed cousin. "Yes there is. Roxas is not your cousin Cloud. Nor is he Sora's brother he is in no way related to any of Sora or your family Cloud. He is of Oblivion Kingdom blood..."

-x-X-x-

Namine had no idea where or why it was so dark. She could hear voices, sure, but they were so faint. "So...her is it?" she said catching only bits and pieces of the conversation.

"Yes...memories are her...the Nobody...they will be erased...Kingdom Hearts...and Roxas..." More pieces, but it was a different voice this time.

Her head seemed to be filled with misty fog and as she felt it clearing away the conversation words could now be fully made out although it took a second to be processed through the young blonde girl's mind.

"We'll leave XIII to Axel. He still has no idea what is going on, and I suspect he is getting suspicious." it was the one who was talking about Roxas before.

"He can do nothing, he knows the penalty for defiling orders. That penalty was set by Xemnas although I myself would choose a better punishment, but then again it was I that gave him power over the Commanders of Organization XIII." it was the first voice that spoke before.

"Yes King DiZ, that is true. I will fetch you when she is fully stable and awake then?"

"Yes. I look forward to this project of yours Vexen." DiZ said and Namine could hear his footsteps leave the room.

No sooner than a minute later Namine felt herself finally coming out of that foggy cloud her mind seemed to be in. Blinking open her eyes she saw a long blonde haired man sitting at a desk scribbling things down onto a piece of paper. There were many viles and beakers marked with a notecard to tell which one was which.

She tried to move quietly as she sat up, but the bed she was on make a creaking noise and Vexen whipped around in his chair. Namine saw him smile and she immediately glared at him.

"So. You have awakened." Vexen said positioning himself better in the hard wooden chair.

"What do you want?" Namine said her eyes were as cold as the ice that Vexen commanded as an element.

"My dear what do you think we want? An end to this war. We can achieve that with your help, your power." Vexen said smiling.

"What are you talking about? I have no power." Namine said, what was he talking about? The dreams, her sketchbook? Where was her sketchbook anyway?

As if reading her thoughts Vexen pulled said sketchbook from inside the drawer in his desk. He flipped through it till he came to a certain page. The one with strange woman accepting the basket from the strange man. "You've been puzzling over this one for awhile have you? A window opened to you because of your power, a vision from the past."

"A vision...?" Namine questioned, why did she draw something from the past then? Everything else was of the future before.

"Yes a vision Namine dear, would you like to know the truth? The truth about XIII?" Vexen asked catching Namine's questioning and surprised look.

"XIII?" Namine said confusededly," Who is this XIII? I do not know anyone by that name."

"I think you do." Vexen smiled and flipped through the page where there was Roxas, Axel and the other blonde he'd never seen before. Namine felt dread creep into her heart as Vexen pointed to Roxas's picture.

Catching the look of horror and surprise that flashed across her face Vexen took the liberty of the moment and said," Yes, you do know XIII then. Number 13 in Organization XIII's Commanders unit. The last keyblade weilder of Oblivion Kingdom."

"What are you rambling on about? Roxas is apart of Destiny Kingdom and always has been! You speak lies!" Namine replied heatedly," I'm not staying here and hearing your lies anymore." She got up and started to the door but was suddenly blocked by huge spikes of ice.

"I speak the truth. What use would lying do for me? I suggest you sit down now as there is no exit other than the one I've blocked in my laboratory." Vexen recommended gesturing to the bed again.

With a glare Namine went over to the bed and sat down again. She wasn't a fool, she would listen to what this old geezer had to say then plan her escape. Then it came to her, if this was where the Commanders were, then Roxas would be here too! She could escape with him! Although delighted by the idea of escaping with her friend she kept her glare at Vexen unwavering.

"Still don't believe me? Fine, I shall tell you the story then." Vexen said clasping his hands together, but he was unaware that King Mickey was then starting the story of Roxas's earliest childhood to Cloud and if they were both there it might've seemed that their voices blended together as did Namine and Cloud's thoughts did as they imagined it in their minds.

_It was dark as it always was in the dark city that enclosed and protected the Oblivion Kingdom castle. There were many people bustling about in the city through the streets that were lit up with beautiful neon lights of many colors. There in the middle of the bustling city was one of Oblivion Kingdom's many keyblade weilders. Few knew his real name and he almost never gave it out. Only the King and most closest advisors knew it although people called him a shadow, a thing of darkness not fit to weild a keyblade at times._

_Said person was fascinated with only one thing, Kingdom Hearts, and would do anything to learn more about the heart of all hearts. It was only myth though and although both Kingdoms wanted it, it was still yet to appear in the skies anywhere, well at least in their sight. Also around this time was when DiZ came to be the new King of Oblivion Kingdom making research matters in constructing a Kingdom Hearts._

_The Shadow is what they called him, it was as good a name as any, if they wanted to call him anything according to rumor he was o-kay with that too. He cared not for what anyone thought of him, he was what one might call a 'lone wolf'._

_That was until he met 'her'. The only one to actually come up to him, The Shadow, and ask him his name. Real name, true name. Of course he answered her promptly in asking," Why do you ask someone of the rumors around here this?"_

_"Curiousity, why else would I?" the woman had giggled and prompted again," So tell me your name already!"_

_The Shadow could only smirk. "My name is my own and will be a secret for now. Just call me what everyone else does."_

_"A demon? I think not! You shall be Shadow, alright? The 'the' just makes you sound too important for anyone to talk to you Mr. Keyblade master!" she replied to him smartly._

_Surprisingly to even himself The Shadow laughed, making the woman smile. "You are one unique person...uh...your name is then?"_

_"Seems a bit unfair Shadow, that I do not know your name and yet you should know mine." Catching the shocked look on his face she smiled," You should show more emotion once in awhile! It fits you. My name is Annalise. Just call me Anna though Shadow, unless you want yourself doubled over in pain in the spot where nobody likes to be kicked."_

_"Anna, got it." Shadow muttered then added as he felt a few raindrops come down," Its best time you be moving on Anna, the rain is coming."_

_"Aw, you're so sweet." she smiled, but Shadow kept his usual face on. "I'll see you around, alright? Don't go and get yourself killed in those wars we're still fighting! I'd hate it if a new friend of mine died the day after I met him!" She then took off keeping her hands over her head as she sheilded her blonde haired head from the falling rain droplets starting to increase in number and quickly._

_Shadow and Annalise became good friends, maybe more than that although Shadow was careful not to show it as to not get her hopes up. There was that and also the threat of Destiny Kingdom becoming closer to the city after a breakthrough at the garrison mid-way point between the Kingdoms._

_Of late Annalise could tell something was bothering Shadow of late as she could tell his usual bright cobalt colored eyes were now cloudy. "What's wrong?" One day she asked him._

_"Nothing is." he responded._

_"Oh I know something is!" she pestered him," Tell me!"_

_Turning to look at her Shadow realized his mistake and sighed knowing no way out of this. "Just tired, what with Destiny Kingdom breaking through the mid-way garrison and then taking over the countryside there."_

_"Oh, I see. But there's something else isn't there?" she prodded gently and smiled deviously as he looked up at her in shock._

_'Is this girl a mind reader?' he thought to himself before Shadow answered with a shrug. "Maybe."_

_"Aw, c'mon! You can tell me, I won't tell anyone if that's what you're worried about!" she gave him a huge grin getting up in his face a bit._

_He raised an eyebrow, but then smirked and poked a finger on her forehead pushing her away from him before saying, "Y'wanna know do you? Fine, meet me tonight and I'll explain."_

_"Where?" Anna asked giving him a smart look as he poked her forehead._

_"Memory's Skyscraper. Meet me at the steps. Eleven at night." he then gave a small subtle wave before disappearing into the marketplace that was now starting to reach a climax of people again._

_Later that night Annalise was sitting on the Memory's Skyscrapers' steps waiting for Shadow when he appeared behind her and said, "So you showed."_

_Suprised she jumped up and then regaining her stature glared. "Don't surprise me like that!" she replied in a fiery tone._

_Putting up his hands in a defensive position he quickly said, "Sorry. Won't happen again. Promise!"_

_Annalise smiled slyly before it turned into her usual huge grin. "So, what's going on with you lately?"_

_"The new King, he confuses yet intrigues me." said Shadow clasping both hands behind his back thoughtfully. "His newly found studies of the Heartless are what interest me even more so."_

_Anna sighed a bit, "If that's what you want to do then...I have no right to stop you. Just be careful! If you get yourself killed I'll never forgive you, only I can do that!"_

_"Sure." Shadow scoffed. The rest of that night was spent looking up at the stars of nearby worlds and small talk erupted between the two after that Shadow had realized that the emotions he'd been feeling were those of love. He told her on that very night during a meteor shower that only comes near our world once every twenty years, we're lucky to get them so frequently and its amazing that we do so._

_It was at least five years after that Roxas came into being. Both were so proud, but it was by this time Annalise had noticed a change in Shadow. He had told her his name, but she prefered to call him Shadow, as more of a pet name I guess persay. Shadow had grown more and more engrossed in his studies of the Heartless that Anna began to grow a bit worried._

It was during this point in the story when King Mickey had paused seeing the distress on Cloud's face. "I'm sure you know of the time. That one keybearer who had turned his heart to the darkness, if only for a short while, and the huge Heartless had descended to this world threatening to consume it, destroying us all."

"Yes. It was...Shadow wasn't it?" Cloud croaked a bit, his voice rusty from listening and not speaking for quite the while.

Mickey nodded and continued.

_It was during this research that Shadow had found a way to use the power of Kingdom Hearts as an energy source to strengthen the weapons of Oblivion Kingdom and even make the power of the keyblade stronger. It would require a very long ritual in which he found in ancient papers scrounged from a library he'd found in a decrepid castle in a town nearby called Hollow Bastion. Annalise knew he was going to try something dangerous, she could feel it and tried to make him change his mind, but he refused saying that he could finally help his Kingdom and left._

_Of course he found and executed his ritual, but during the process all of his research papers that he'd brought with him either burned away in the flames of the summoning or were scattered, some in fragments now. All over our world. Once the devastating calamity erupted out of control Shadow tried to return to the Oblivion Castle city, but found it in a state of chaos and disrepair._

_Seeing the Heartless overrunning the city he immediately tried to return to his home to find Annalise with Heartless in the room. Her heart was stolen away that night, though Shadow had finished off all the Heartless to save Roxas. Knowing that, he, the one who had brought the calamity upon them, would have to destroy it took his son here. To Destiny Kingdom._

_Sora's mother as well as your aunt took him in after Shadow begged her to take care of him. She has kept her secret well, Roxas still does not know of his parentage, but now I'm feeling that he needs to know this soon. Its either we tell him or they do. Shadow then sacrificed his body and heart to destroy the evil wretched Heartless making the calamity end, but it then meant that our few Keyblade bearers were now only residing in Destiny Kingdom._

King Mickey sighed after finishing his story and looked Cloud straight in his much similar eyes and said, "I think its time we tell him. Soon, not now, its a much too precious time for that. Please, find him and make sure he's alright at least."

Cloud nodded. "Thank you Your Majesty." he could only think to say letting the King's words move through his mind before hastily rushing out the doorway.

"Donald, Goofy." the King called and both a duck and dog stepped from the hallway. "I've an urgent mission for you. I need you to find Sora, Riku, and Kairi. Bring them home. Things are a lot worse than we first thought."

"Of course Your Majesty." Donald said bowing a bit as Goofy did the same.

"We'll find 'em. A'yuck!" Goofy put in as both rushed off to prepare themselves.

"Good luck my friends." The King said softly, more to Donald, Cloud and Goofy than to himself even though Cloud was not inside the room anymore.

-x-X-x-

As Vexen finished the same story in the Oblivion Kingdom castle Namine was perplexed with shock. "Then why do you want Roxas?" she asked quietly.

"Why? Roxas is a keyblade weilder. He's the other "key". I'm sure you do not understand a word I'm saying do you?" Vexen asked and Namine shook her head. "No use explaining it to a girl who does not understand anything. Get some rest, we will start on you in the morning."

"Hey! I could understand it perfe-!" she was cut off as Vexen had created a weird black hole thing and stepped through it and out of Namine's enclosed small room by the ice. As it disappeared she felt a wave of claustrophobia surround her. She was alone, in the Oblivion Kingdom's main castle, alone and afraid.

-x-X-x-

Meanwhile Sora and company were having major problems of their own. It turns out as they got closer to the castle their luck seemed to get worse and worse. Particularily now it was worse, since how bad can it get when you have two Commanders standing right in front of you with weapons raised?

Riku, Sora and Kairi had been on their horses when noises from the bushes had startled them causing their mounts to panic and throw their riders to the ground. A laughing had appeared and two Commanders stepped from the weird black hold things that they were able to summon.

"Commanders. Just who are you?" Sora demanded of the two figures in the black coats.

"Now that isn't very polite!" One of the Commanders said tsking a finger as his elbow rested in his other hand. From the sound of it, the voice was male.

"I'm getting impatient Xigbar, lets just crush these kiddies already. I haven't had too much fun in awhile." It was a female voice now and bringing her hand up a set of throwing knives appeared in her hand along with a spark of lightning.

"You're way too hasty Larxene. We'll have plenty of fun with the keyblade bearers of Destiny Kingdom." Xigbar smirked underneath his hood, but it was still visible since they were close to the trio.

"I wonder how Number XIII would react to find his poor lying Destiny Kingdom pals smashed into the dirt? Poor guy would be heartbroken. Sounds like fun to me." The woman laughed which made Sora's face twist with rage and Riku glare at her. Kairi was another matter.

"Who is 'Number XIII'?" she asked.

-x-X-x-

Author's Note

Phew. This is finally done! Meh, my muse is slowly wearing away from me and I've been trying to get it back lately, the reason for not posting anything much lately. Well that's pretty much it. G'night all! -yawns-

-Kiesha & Kiaxshe


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